Mattis Nominated

It's official. Defense Secretary Robert Gates announced his recommendation today to President Obama that Marine Corps Gen. James Mattis, the head of U.S. Joint Forces Command, be nominated to take over U.S. Central Command. Mattis would take the place of Gen. David Petraeus, who has taken over command of U.S. and coalition forces in Afghanistan. The moves stem from the ouster of Army Gen. Stanley McChrystal, who resigned his post last month following the publication of a profile piece in Rolling Stone magazine.

At a press briefing this afternoon, Gates said of Mattis:

Whether commanding troops in battle, leading the Marine Corps Combat Development Command or developing new operating concepts at JFCOM ((U.S. Joint Forces Command)), Gen. Mattis has proved to be one of the military's most innovative and iconoclastic thinkers. His insights into the nature of warfare in the 21^st century have influenced my own views about how the armed forces must be shaped and postured for the future.

According to Mattis' JFCOM bio:

Gen. Mattis has commanded at multiple levels. As a lieutenant, he served as a rifle and weapons platoon commander in the 3rd Marine Division. As a captain, he commanded a rifle company and a weapons company in the 1st Marine Brigade.

As a major, he commanded Recruiting Station Portland. As a lieutenant colonel, he commanded 1st Battalion, 7th Marines, one of Task Force Ripper's assault battalions in Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. As a colonel, he commanded 7th Marines (Reinforced).

Upon becoming a brigadier general, he commanded first the 1st Marine Expeditionary Brigade and then Task Force 58, during Operation Enduring Freedom in southern Afghanistan. As a major general, he commanded the 1st Marine Division during the initial attack and subsequent stability operations in Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom.

In his first tour as a lieutenant general, he commanded the Marine Corps Combat Development Command and served as the deputy commandant for combat development.

Most recently, he commanded the I Marine Expeditionary Force and served as the commander of U.S. Marine Forces Central Command.

From 2007-09, he served as both NATO's Supreme Allied Commander Transformation and commander, USJFCOM.

Gen. Mattis, a native of the Pacific Northwest, graduated from Central Washington State University in 1972. He is also a graduate of the Amphibious Warfare School, Marine Corps Command and Staff College, and the National War College.