President Barack Obama has nominated Marine Corps Gen. James N. Mattis to serve as commander, U.S. Central Command, according to a Defense Department news release issued today.

Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates recommended Mattis for the job this month. If confirmed by the Senate, Mattis will succeed Army Gen. David H. Petraeus, who now commands U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan.

Mattis currently is commander of U.S. Joint Forces Command based at Norfolk, Va.

“General Mattis has proven to be one of the military’s most innovative and iconoclastic thinkers,” Gates said during a July 8 Pentagon news conference. “His insights into the nature of warfare in the 21st century have influenced my own views about how the armed forces must be shaped and postured for the future.”

U.S. Centcom is based in Tampa, Fla. If confirmed, Mattis will have responsibility for operations from Pakistan to Egypt and Oman to Kazakhstan. He would be the combatant commander for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Mattis served as the commander of the Marine forces that were first in Afghanistan in 2001. He also served as the commander of the 1st Marine Division during the initial push into Iraq in 2003. He left that job to serve as the commander of the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force at Camp Pendleton, Calif.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates announced July 8 that he is recommending President Obama nominate General James Mattis as Commander – U.S. Central Command.

Iran remains a focus of concern for the U.S. military’s Central Command and for neighboring countries as well.

General David Petraeus, commander of U.S. Central Command, predicts a long, hard year in Afghanistan.

Pentagon officials say they took a calculated risk when they warned people in Marjah, Afghanistan, about their planned offensive to eliminate the Taliban.

Secretary of the Army John McHugh today released the following statement after receiving the U.S. Central Command investigation results regarding the combat action involving U.S. Army forces at Wanat, Afghanistan, on July 13, 2008. Nine U.S. Army soldiers were killed and 27 were wounded during that battle:

“I have directed the commander of U.S. Army Forces Command, Gen. Charles Campbell, to review the recommendations and take action as he deems appropriate with regard to Army personnel identified in the report within 90 days.

 

“We remain in close contact with the families of our fallen from this battle, and they will be invited to a comprehensive briefing on the investigation following Gen. Campbell’s actions.

 

“We must be an Army that is committed to continuous self-assessment and improvement. Analysis of this investigation’s findings provides us the opportunity to better ensure we are doing everything possible to safeguard the lives and treasure entrusted to us while ensuring mission success.”

NATO officials announced Friday at least 25 nations will send more military forces to Afghanistan next year.

The U.S. and NATO commander in Afghanistan, General Stanley McChrystal, met with Afghan members of parliament on Thursday to brief them on the new U.S. strategy in the country.

Admiral Michael Mullen told lawmakers the new strategy in Afghanistan offers better guidance to commanders about how to deploy their forces.

Planners with the Defense Logistic Agency are working with U.S. Central Command and U.S. Forces Afghanistan to prepare for the pending deployment of 30,000 more U.S. troops to Afghanistan.

The top U.S. and NATO commander in Afghanistan met with Afghan members of Parliament Thursday to outline the new U.S. strategy in the country.

With thousands of troops headed to Afghanistan, housing is becoming a big issue.

ISAF and Afghan forces have launched the first offensive in Afghanistan since President Obama announced his war strategy.

Supreme Allied Commander Europe Admiral James Stavridis was in Brussels Friday and said the expressions of support for the Afghan mission from NATO nations was ’striking’.

Deputy Defense Secretary William Lynn comments on this year’s Quadrennial Defense Review.

The Commander of U.S. Central Command was in Washington D.C. Friday night to accept an award on behalf of CentCom’s men and women.

Army Secretary John McHugh orders an investigation into procedures at Arlington National Cemetery.

A ceremony was held on Sunday to celebrate the delivery of the first of twenty C-27 military transport planes from the U.S. to Afghanistan.

The U.S. military unveiled a new detention facility at Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan over the weekend.

President Barack Obama comments on Iran’s nuclear ambitions.

The Army has released suicide numbers for Oct 09. Among active duty soldiers, there were 16 potential cases. U.S. Centcom Commander, GEN David Petraeus defends the use of unmanned drones.