Report: Obama to name Marine Gen. Joseph Dunford chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff

President Obama plans on naming Marine Corps Commandant Gen. Joseph Dunford as the next chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staffs, officials briefed on the matter said Monday.

Dunford served as commander of all allied forces in Afghanistan, and if his nomination is approved by the Senate, he will replace Army Gen. Martin Dempsey, who is expected to retire this summer. The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff serves as the most senior officer in the military and adviser to the president. Officials say Obama will also name Air Force Gen. Paul Selva, who is now leading the U.S. Transportation Command, as vice chairman. The White House is expected to make a formal announcement Tuesday.

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Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.