WASHINGTON, April 9 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. Department of Defense said Tuesday Air Force General John Hyten had been nominated to the vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
If confirmed, Hyten will succeed Air Force General Paul Selva this summer to become the second highest ranking military official at the Pentagon.
Hyten currently serves as the commander of the U.S. Strategic Command, a unified combatant command that controls U.S. nuclear forces.
Hyten, 60, has previously served as the commander of the Air Force Space Command.
In a statement announcing Hyten's nomination, the Pentagon also said Army General Mark Milley had been officially nominated as the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
U.S. President Donald Trump signaled in December he favored Milley to succeed current Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Joseph Dunford. Dunford's term is due to end in October.
