Mehdi Hussein
The Honorable Mehdi Hussein | |
|---|---|
| File:Mehdi Hussein.jpg | |
| 26th Secretary of State of West Aurelia | |
| Assumed office June 1, 2016 | |
| President | Stephen Hayes |
| Preceded by | Liam Alacevski |
| 20th Director of Military Intelligence | |
| In office June 1, 2012 – June 1, 2016 | |
| President | Stephen Hayes |
| Preceded by | Xavier Atkinson |
| Succeeded by | Alister Sterling |
| 19th Chief of the General Staff | |
| In office June 1, 2008 – June 1, 2012 | |
| President | Richard Alonso |
| Preceded by | Samuel L. Williams |
| Succeeded by | Louis Draxler |
| 22nd Chief of the Air Staff | |
| In office June 1, 2008 – June 1, 2012 | |
| President | Richard Alonso |
| Preceded by | Michael Fulanski |
| Succeeded by | Anthony Preston |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Mehdi al-Hussein 19 January 1954 Rockwell, West Aurelia |
| Citizenship | West Aurelian |
| Political party | Freedom Party |
| Spouse | Maryam al-Fulan (m. 1985) |
| Children | Islam (b. 1987), Elias (b. 1989) |
| Alma mater | Air War College (B.Eng., M.A.) |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | Template:Country data West Aurelia |
| Branch/service | West Aurelian Air Force |
| Years of service | 1972-2012 |
| Rank | Air chief marshal |
Mehdi al-Hussein (born January 19, 1954) is a West Aurelian diplomat who has served as the 26th secretary of state of West Aurelia since June 1, 2016 under President Stephen Hayes. He is a member of the Freedom Party. He previously served concurrently as the 22nd chief of the Air Staff and the 19th chief of the General Staff from 2008 to 2012 and as the 20th director of Military Intelligence (DMI) from 2012 to 2016. Born and raised in the city of Rockwell, Hussein enjoyed a lengthy 40-year career in the West Aurelian Air Force, where he rose to the five-star rank of air chief marshal. He had previously served as an F-15E Strike Eagle pilot. Hussein also possesses a bachelor of engineering in aerospace engineering and a master of arts in international relations and economics from the Air War College, obtained during his military service.
Personal life
Hussein is the first Muslim and Arab to hold the positions of chief of the Air Staff, chief of the General Staff, director of Military Intelligence, and secretary of state. Commenting on his role upon being appointed as West Aurelia's top diplomat in 2016, he said, "being a Muslim who has been at the forefront of West Aurelia's fight against radical Islam for so long means a lot - not just to my family and I, but to victims of Islamophobia who tell me that they can look up to me. It is deeply humbling and a role I do not take on lightly."