Esper to receive nomination hearing Thursday

Mark Esper, tapped to serve as Army secretary, will face the Senate Armed Services Committee this week in a long-awaited nomination hearing, amid concerns from Chairman John McCain (R-AZ) about the number of top Defense Department nominees hailing from the "big five" contractors.

Most recently vice president of government relations at Raytheon, Esper also previously served as an executive at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the Aerospace Industries Association. Additionally, Esper has worked as a congressional leadership and committee staffer and as a deputy assistant secretary of defense.

The White House announced the president's intent to nominate Esper July 19; the nomination was transmitted to the Senate July 25.

That same month, Esper submitted documents to the Office of Government Ethics, including a financial disclosure form and a letter detailing his plans to divest assets that could pose a conflict of interest.

Ryan McCarthy, who was confirmed Aug. 1 for the role of Army under secretary, has been filling the service's top civilian post in an acting capacity since Aug. 2.

Esper is the third individual selected for the Army post, following billionaire Vincent Viola, who withdrew in February following a formal nomination, and Tennessee politician Mark Green, who removed himself from consideration in May.