Gates recommends Dempsey for Army chief of staff
Jan 7, 2011
By Mary Moses
WASHINGTON (Army News Service, Jan. 7, 2011) -- Defense Secretary Robert Gates recommended to President Barack Obama that he nominate Gen. Martin E. Dempsey as the next Army Chief of Staff.
Gates announced the news at a Pentagon news conference Jan. 6.
If nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate as the new Army chief of staff, Dempsey would become the nation's highest-ranking soldier. He would also serve as a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
During the news conference, Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, called Dempsey a "creative thinker and a terrific Soldier" who has his unequivocal support, according to the American Forces Press Service.
Dempsey has served as the commander of the U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command, or TRADOC, since June 2008. Earlier in the same year, he served as acting commander of U.S. Central Command when Navy Adm. William Fallon retired.
In Aug. 2005, Dempsey deployed to Iraq as the commander of the Multi-National Security Transition Command-Iraq until the summer of 2007.
Dempsey also commanded the 1st Armored Division during its 14-month deployment to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003 and 2004.
If nominated, Dempsey would replace the current Army Chief of Staff, Gen. George W. Casey Jr., who has served as chief since April 2007. He would retire with more than 40 years of service.
During his accomplished career, Casey has served operational assignments in Germany, Italy, Egypt, Southwest Asia and the United States. His last position was as the commander of the Multi-National Force-Iraq, from July 2004 to February 2007.
Casey was commissioned as a second lieutenant of infantry from Georgetown University in 1970, and has since commanded at every Army level from platoon to division.
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