One day after winning a bruising nomination battle, Chuck Hagel is in charge of the Pentagon.

Hagel, the former Republican U.S. senator from Nebraska, was sworn in as secretary of defense Wednesday morning. He took the oath in a private ceremony at the Pentagon on his first day at work and will make remarks to service members and civilian employees of the department later Wednesday morning.

The Senate confirmed him Tuesday following a long battle with Republican senators who opposed some of his previous statements and positions.