Obama nominates General Dempsey to head US armed forces

By Frank Fuhrig May 31, 2011, 19:03 GMT

Washington - US President Barack Obama on Monday nominated four-star General Martin Dempsey as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the highest post in the US military.

Obama described Dempsey as 'one of our nation's most respected and combat-tested generals.'

The Senate must approve the appointment before Dempsey can succeed Admiral Mike Mullen, who retires in September.

The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is the principle military adviser to the president and the defence secretary. In his new function, Dempsey will be a member of the National Security Council in the White House.

Mullen held the post for four years, at the end of a military career that spanned more than four decades.

The appointment comes just weeks after Obama nominated CIA chief Leon Panetta to become defence secretary when Robert Gates retires at the end of June.

Dempsey was promoted to army chief of staff in April, a position he will relinquish.

US media reported that Obama originally planned to appoint Mullen's deputy, General James 'Hoss' Cartwright, but he was apparently disliked in military circles, in part for criticizing the Afghanistan policy of his predecessor, the Washington Post reported.

Obama did not address why Cartwright was passed over but said he was 'personally grateful' for the general's advice. 'Hoss is that rare combination of technical expert ... and strategic thinker,' Obama said.

In the same Rose Garden announcement, Obama nominated Admiral James Winnefeld as vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs and named General Ray Odierno to replace Dempsey as Army chief of staff.

After more than two years working with defence leadership inherited from predecessor George W Bush's administration, Obama will now get a team of his own making in the coming months.

With so many changes in the top civilian and military positions, Obama urged quick Senate confirmations votes, calling it 'essential that this transition be seamless and that we stay focused on the urgent national security challenges before us.'

Dempsey, born in 1952, commanded the 20,000 troops of the 1st Armoured Division in the Iraq War from 2003-04, before becoming deputy commander and then acting commander of US Central Command, which is responsible for both Iraq and Afghanistan.

'In Iraq, he led our soldiers against a brutal insurgency. Having trained Iraqi forces, he knows that nations must ultimately take responsibility for their own security,' Obama said. 'Having served as acting commander of Central Command, he understands that in Iraq and Afghanistan security gains and political progress must go hand in hand.'

Most recently, Dempsey was in charge of the Army's training and doctrine command.

'Just as he challenged the Army to embrace new doctrine and tactics, I expect him to push all our forces to continue adapting and innovating to be ready for the missions of today and tomorrow,' Obama said.

Dempsey and his wife, Deanie, have three children, all of whom have served in the Army.

Monday's announcement coincided with Memorial Day, when the United States honours its war dead, and Obama later visited Arlington National Cemetery outside Washington, where he laid a wreath of red and white flowers at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.