PERSONNEL

Obama Taps New Joint Chiefs Chairman

Gen. Martin Dempsey to head defense counsel.

In a fitting Memorial Day ceremony, President Obama nominated Gen. Martin Dempsey to be the next chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff on Monday. Dempsey would replace Adm. Michael Mullen, whose term ends in September. Dempsey has plenty of combat experience, having served as the commander of the 1st Armored Division in Baghdad in 2003, and should the Senate confirm him, he would be in a crucial position as Obama’s senior military adviser overseeing the withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan and Iraq, as well as establishing priorities for cutting defense spending. Dempsey was just appointed as the Army chief of staff in April, so it’s been an unusually quick promotion. Obama also named Adm. James Winnefeld, the current head of the U.S. Northern Command, to serve as vice chairman, and Gen. Ray Odierno was nominated to replace Dempsey as the Army's chief of staff.