US | Christine Fox Top Gun Inspiration Makes History at Pentagon Christine Fox is acting No. 2, highest defense post ever held by a woman By John Johnson Posted Dec 3, 2013 7:16 PM CST Copied Christine Fox will be the Pentagon's No. 2, at least temporarily. (Department of Defense) For someone who has spent a chunk of her career in the wonky position of budget strategist for the Pentagon, Christine Fox now has two decidedly unwonky gems on her resume: President Obama today appointed her as the acting No. 2 at the Pentagon, an "unprecedented move" that gives her the highest position ever held by a woman in the defense department, reports DefenseNews.com. Fox will be Chuck Hagel's deputy chief until a permanent successor is named. The other gem came back in the mid-1980s, when Fox became the inspiration for Kelly McGillis' character in the Tom Cruise movie Top Gun, reports NBC News. At the time, Fox worked as a civilian analyst for a military think tank, and she helped prepare Navy aviators for missions, according to an old People profile now in wide circulation. Read These Next JD Vance in hot water over birthday boating trip. Two state troopers were shot in Pennsylvania "Rock's forgotten genius" said no to Led Zeppelin. Iran just executed one of its own nuclear scientists. Report an error