title: Senate panel backs nomination of Fanning as U.S. Army secretary
text: WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Senate Armed Services Committee backed the nomination of Eric Fanning to be secretary of the U.S. Army on Thursday and forwarded the recommendation to the full Senate for a final vote. Fanning, who previously worked as undersecretary of the Air Force and chief of staff to Defense Secretary Ash Carter, would be the first openly gay leader of a U.S. military service branch if his nomination is approved by the full Senate. 