The U.S. Senate on Tuesday confirmed Eric Fanning as Army Secretary.

Fanning becomes the first openly gay leader of a U.S. military service.

The AP reported that the voice vote approval “came after Sen. Pat Roberts, R-Kan, dropped his opposition to Fanning after a senior Pentagon official told him that no detainees held at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba would be sent to the Army prison at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, or other facilities in the United States.”

President Barack Obama nominated Fanning in September.

Fanning stepped down as the acting under secretary of the Army in January. He's previously served as Air Force under secretary, deputy under secretary of the Navy and deputy chief management officer of the Navy.

The confirmation marks a major shift for the Pentagon, which only four-and-a-half years ago dropped its “Don't Ask, Don't Tell” policy that prohibited openly gay troops from serving in the military. As a civilian leader, the policy did not extend to Fanning.