Ed Palmer
06-15-10, 10:12 AM
Robert Gates taps James Amos as commandant (air winger)
Politico ^ | 06/15/2010 | GORDON LUBOLD & JEN DIMASCIO
http://images.politico.com/global/news/100614_amos_ap_218.jpg
Posted on Tuesday, June 15, 2010 9:58:51 AM by OldDeckHand
Defense Secretary Robert Gates has recommended that Gen. James Amos will be the next commandant of the Marine Corps, POLITICO has learned. Lt. Gen. Joseph Dunford has been recommended to be assistant commandant.
President Obama has not yet nominated either individual, according to defense sources, but the recommendations were recently sent to the White House.
Amos, already the Corps’ No. 2 officer, would be the first aviator to lead the service. The selection of Amos is a huge upset since the choice was thought to be between two known infantry officers: Dunford, and Gen. James Mattis. Both men had long been considered frontrunners and brought to the job different reputations and backgrounds at a time when the Corps endeavors to re-establish its sea-service identity after more than eight years of fighting wars in largely landlocked regions.
Gates was expected to want a leader who would help focus that effort. But the deliberations over who would lead the Corps also included discussions on whether gays and lesbians should be allowed to serve openly as well as well as the future of the Corps’ favorite ground combat vehicle, the General Dynamics-made Expeditionary Fighting Vehicle, say officials in and outside of the Pentagon.
(Excerpt) Read more at politico.com (http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0610/38531.html) ...
Politico ^ | 06/15/2010 | GORDON LUBOLD & JEN DIMASCIO
http://images.politico.com/global/news/100614_amos_ap_218.jpg
Posted on Tuesday, June 15, 2010 9:58:51 AM by OldDeckHand
Defense Secretary Robert Gates has recommended that Gen. James Amos will be the next commandant of the Marine Corps, POLITICO has learned. Lt. Gen. Joseph Dunford has been recommended to be assistant commandant.
President Obama has not yet nominated either individual, according to defense sources, but the recommendations were recently sent to the White House.
Amos, already the Corps’ No. 2 officer, would be the first aviator to lead the service. The selection of Amos is a huge upset since the choice was thought to be between two known infantry officers: Dunford, and Gen. James Mattis. Both men had long been considered frontrunners and brought to the job different reputations and backgrounds at a time when the Corps endeavors to re-establish its sea-service identity after more than eight years of fighting wars in largely landlocked regions.
Gates was expected to want a leader who would help focus that effort. But the deliberations over who would lead the Corps also included discussions on whether gays and lesbians should be allowed to serve openly as well as well as the future of the Corps’ favorite ground combat vehicle, the General Dynamics-made Expeditionary Fighting Vehicle, say officials in and outside of the Pentagon.
(Excerpt) Read more at politico.com (http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0610/38531.html) ...