EUCOM Nominee

President Obama plans to nominate Air Force Gen. Philip Breedlove to become the new head of U.S. European Command and supreme allied commander of NATO, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel announced this afternoon.

Breedlove would replace Navy Adm. James Stavridis, who has held the post since 2009.

"We need to get that position filled," Hagel said during a Pentagon briefing today. "And I would say too that not only is he particularly well-qualified, but the job that Adm. Stavridis has done over there has been significant, and I think you've extended him a few times. So he needs a little relief one of these days. And I wanted to particularly recognize him, and it'll be more appropriate, and we will all recognize him in more detail as this unfolds."

Breedlove is head of U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Africa as well as Air Component Command based at Ramstein Air Base in Germany, according to his official bio.