Today, Mark Udall, a member of the Senate Armed Services and Intelligence committees, hailed President Obama’s nomination of Army General Martin Dempsey to succeed Admiral Michael Mullen as the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.“General Dempsey is a soldier’s soldier and a tremendous military leader. He is highly respected, with first-hand combat experience, and I know that he understands and appreciates our military’s strategic challenges. As a member of the Senate Armed Services and Intelligence Committees, I fully support General Dempsey’s nomination to serve as the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, and I look forward to his nomination hearing.”
Udall also praised the nomination of Admiral James “Sandy” Winnefeld to serve as the Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs. Admiral Winnefeld currently serves as the Commander of U.S. Northern Command and the North American Airspace Defense Command in Colorado Springs.
“I’ve had the pleasure of working closely with Admiral Winnefeld since he took command of NORAD and NORTHCOM last year, and I have been constantly impressed with his leadership, knowledge, and insight. Although he will certainly be missed by the Colorado military community, he is an ideal choice to serve as the Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, and he has my full support.”
