Context
Army Chief of Staff Gen. Martin Dempsey, an Iraq war veteran, will succeed Adm. Mike Mullen as the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff on September 30th. President Obama announced the nomination on Monday, but it is still subject to approval by the Senate. In naming Dempsey, the president called him “one of our nation’s most respected and combat-tested generals”. If approved by the Senate, Dempsey would serve as the top military adviser as the withdrawal of US troops from Iraq continues and forces start to return from Afghanistan later this year. Meanwhile, Gen Ray Odierno has been chosen to replace Dempsey as the new army chief of staff.
