Senate Confirms Mullen, Cartwright for Top Military Positions
Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Adm. Mike Mullen and Commander, U.S. Strategic Command, Gen. James E. Cartwright greet Sen. Joseph Lieberman, Sen. Jack Reed and Sen. John Warner prior to their confirmation hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee for appointment to Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff at Hart Senate Office Building. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Chad J. The Senate confirmed Adm. Michael G. Mullen and Marine Corps Gen. James E. “Hoss” Cartwright as chairman and vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, respectively, Aug. Mullen will assume the top U.S. military post, held by Marine Gen. Peter Pace since September 2005. Pace is slated to retire Oct. Cartwright assumes the No. 2 military post held by Navy Adm.
Bush Nominates Mullen, Cartwright to Top Military Posts
President Bush nominated Adm. Michael Mullen to serve as the next Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Marine Corps Gen. James E. “Hoss” Cartwright as his Vice Chairman on June 28. Mullen currently serves as Chief of Naval Operations, and Cartwright serves as Commander, U.S. Strategic Command. If confirmed by the Senate, they will succeed Marine Gen. Peter Pace, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Navy Adm. Edmund P. Giambastiani, vice chairman. Bush noted that Mullen’s and Cartwright’s nominations come at a critical time for the United States. “America is at war, and we are at war with brutal enemies who have attacked our nation and who would pursue nuclear weapons and would use their control of oil as economic blackmail and intend to launch new attacks on our country…
Gates Recommends Mullen to Replace Pace as Chairman
Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates announced June 8 that he will recommend that President Bush nominate Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Mike Mullen to replace Marine Gen. Peter Pace as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. In a Pentagon news conference, Gates said he also will recommend Marine Gen. James E. Cartwright for the position of vice chairman. Cartwright is the commander of U.S. Strategic Command. Navy Adm. Edmund P. Giambastiani Jr., the current vice chairman, announced his decision to retire last week. “I have become well acquainted with Admiral Mullen over the last six months and believe he has the strategic insight, experience and integrity to lead America’s armed forces,” Gates said.
Conventional Trident Missiles Will Aid Terror War
Arming submarines with nonnuclear intercontinental ballistic missiles will give America a necessary quick-strike weapon in the war on terror, the vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said here June 7. The proposal, part of the Defense Department's 2007 budget request, aims to remove two nuclear missiles from each of the Navy's 14 ballistic missile submarines, or SSBNs, and replace them with two conventionally armed Trident missiles, said Navy Adm. Edmund P. Giambastiani at the Naval Submarine League's annual symposium. The move would put about 22 such missiles into operational deployment, he said. "It's meant to be a very niche capability," Giambastiani told about 400 retired officers, businessmen and fellow submariners. "We're not talking a lot of missiles here.
USS Ohio Rejoins Fleet
SILVERDALE, Wash. (NNS) -- The first of four Ohio-class Trident missile submarines being converted to carry guided missiles and Special Operations Forces (SOF) rejoined the fleet in a return to service ceremony at Naval Base Kitsap-Bangor Feb. In December, USS Ohio (SSGN 726) completed conversion to a guided-missile submarine capable of carrying more than 150 Tomahawk cruise missiles and more than 60 SOF members for extended periods. This conversion is a major step forward in the Navy’s ability to fight the global war on terrorism. During the ceremony, guest speaker Adm. Edmund P. Giambastiani, vice chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff, spoke of the new role Ohio will have as it steers towards danger, rather than away from it.
