Why General Mark Milley and Why Now? (From RealClearDefense)

At Saturday’s Army-Navy Game, President Donald Trump took the unusual step of announcing that he would be nominating the Chief of Staff of the Army, General Mark Milley to replace the current Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Marine Corps General Joseph Dunford, when his current term ends. Why General Milley? Perhaps it is because much like President Trump, Milley too is a visionary. Also like the President, the Chief of Staff is a blunt-spoken realist. The decision reflects the President’s desire to elevate leaders who have vision, energy, a determination to prod the bureaucracy into action, a willingness to take risks and a penchant for speaking bluntly. The President is signaling he wants to see new thinking at the Joint Chiefs of Staff and a willingness to challenge the conventional wisdom. Announcing General Milley’s nomination almost a year out hopefully allows the Pentagon to get ready for the changes to come. I have written more on the Milley nomination here.