WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump on Saturday nominated an Afghan war veteran, Gen Mark Milley to be the next chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, replacing Gen Joe Dunford.

Keeping to his tradition, President Trump used a social media network, Twitter, also to make this important announcement.

“I am pleased to announce my nomination of four-star General Mark Milley, Chief of Staff of the United States Army — as the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, replacing General Joe Dunford, who will be retiring,” he tweeted.

The nomination has to be confirmed by the US Senate.

Gen Milley is a veteran of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars and has served as the US Army’s top officer since August 2015.

Gen Dunford, a former commandant of the Marine Corps, is expected to serve out his term as Joint Chiefs chairman, which ends next Oct 1.

Gen Dunford originally was nominated for the Joint Chiefs position by former President Barack Obama, serving an initial two-year term.

President Trump re-nominated him in 2017 for a second term.

Published in Dawn, December 9th, 2018