    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2007, Book I)]
    [June 28, 2007]
    [Pages 814-816]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks on the Nomination of Admiral Michael G. Mullen To Be Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and General
    James E. Cartwright To Be Vice
    Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
    June 28, 2007

        The President. Good morning. Thank you all for coming. Mr.
    Secretary, thank you for joining us. I am
    sending to the United States Senate my nomination of Admiral Mike Mullen
    to be America's next Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and I'm
    sending my nomination of General James Cartwright to be the next Vice
    Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
        Mike Mullen and Hoss Cartwright are experienced military officers.
    They're highly qualified for these important positions. I thank them for
    agreeing to serve their country in these new capacities. We welcome
    Mike's wife Deborah and sons, John and Michael. Thank you all
    for coming. Thanks for wearing the uniform. Hoss's wife got stuck on an airplane. [Laughter] I'm sure she's
    going to forgive him--[laughter]--and hopefully, forgive me. I thank you
    all for being here and joining on this--joining these good men on this
    exciting day for them.
        America is at war, and we're at war with brutal enemies who have
    attacked our Nation and who would pursue nuclear weapons, who would use
    their control over oil as economic blackmail, and who intend to launch
    new attacks on our country. In such times, one of the most important
    decisions a President makes is the appointment of the Chairman of the
    Joint Chiefs of Staff. The Chairman is our Nation's highest-ranking
    military officer. He is the principal military adviser to the President,
    to the Secretary of Defense, the National Security Council, and the
    Homeland Security Council. He is responsible for ensuring that our

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    military forces are ready to meet any challenge.
        Admiral Mike Mullen is uniquely qualified to take on these important
    responsibilities. Mike has had an illustrious military career, spanning
    nearly four decades. He graduated from the United States Naval Academy
    in 1968. He earned an advanced degree from the Naval Postgraduate
    School. He has commanded three ships, a cruiser-destroyer group, and an
    aircraft carrier battle group. He served as commander of NATO's Joint
    Forces Command in Naples, Italy, with responsibility for Alliance
    missions in the Balkans, Iraq, and Mediterranean. He served as commander
    of U.S. Naval Forces Europe.
        At the Pentagon, he has served as the Navy's Director of Surface
    Warfare, Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Resources, Requirements,
    and Assessments, Vice Chief of Naval Operations, and Chief of Naval
    Operations. Mike is a man of experience, of vision, and high integrity.
    He is the right man to lead America's Armed Forces. And, Mike, I thank
    you for agreeing to take on this important assignment.
        I'm also nominating an outstanding military officer to serve as Vice
    Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Hoss Cartwright. He's a
    graduate of the University of Iowa. He earned an advanced degree from
    the Naval War College. He completed a fellowship at MIT. He's a Marine
    aviator who has commanded deployed marines at all levels. He has broad
    experience on the Joint Staff, having served twice in the Directorate of
    Force Structure, Resources, and Assessment.
        And since 2004, he's served as head of the U.S. Strategic Command.
    In that position, Hoss has been in charge of America's nuclear arsenal,
    missile defenses, space operations, information operations, global
    command and control, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance and
    our Nation's efforts to combat weapons of mass destruction. These are
    vital responsibilities, and Hoss has met them with honor, skill, and
    integrity. He has earned my trust and my confidence. And he's going to
    make an outstanding Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs.
        Upon confirmation by the Senate, Mike Mullen and Hoss Cartwright
    will succeed two of America's finest military officers, General Pete
    Pace and Admiral Ed Giambastiani. Pete Pace has been at my side most of my
    Presidency, serving first as my Vice Chairman--as the Vice Chairman and
    then Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. We've been through a lot
    together. Pete was with me after the attacks of September the 11th. He
    played a key role in planning America's response to that brutal assault
    on the American homeland.
        With the help of his leadership, our men and women in uniform
    brought down brutal dictatorships in Afghanistan and Iraq. It liberated
    50 million people from unspeakable oppression. He's helped lead our military through unprecedented
    campaigns. And as he has done so, Pete never took his eye off the
    horizon and the threats that still lie ahead. He played a critical role
    in transforming our military for challenges of a new century. He made
    sure that future benefits--future generations will benefit from the
    reforms that he has set in motion.
        Pete made history as the first marine to
    serve as Vice Chairman and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. I'm
    going to remember him simply as one of the best military officers and
    finest men I've been privileged to know. I'm grateful for his
    friendship, his sense of humor, and his character. I also thank--I thank
    him for the life of service, and I thank his wife Lynne and his children as well.
        I'm also grateful to Admiral Ed Giambastiani. I just call him ``Admiral G.'' I appreciated his
    outstanding leadership as Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs. He's an
    officer of character and vision, and I appreciate his insights and his
    strong military advice.
        Prior to his service as Vice Chairman, Admiral G helped lead the transformation of our military
    as commander of the U.S.

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    Joint Forces Command. He helped strengthen the NATO Alliance as the
    first Supreme Allied Commander Transformation. Ed has given 37 years of
    dedicated service to our country. His work will affect the security of
    our Nation for decades to come. I thank him for his devotion to duty. I
    thank his wife Cindy and
    their children as well.
        Pete Pace and Ed Giambastiani are hard acts to follow. I can think of none
    more qualified to follow them than the men whose nominations I have--
    sending to the United States Senate today. I call on the Senate to
    quickly confirm Mike Mullen and Hoss Cartwright. I thank these fine
    officers and their families for continuing to serve our country.
        Thank you all for coming.

    [At this point, Chairman-designate Adm. Mullen and Vice Chairman-
    designate Gen. Cartwright made brief remarks.]

        The President. Thank you all. Thanks.

    Note: The President spoke at 8:47 a.m. in the Roosevelt Room at the
    White House. In his remarks, he referred to Secretary of Defense Robert
    M. Gates. The transcript released by the Office of the Press Secretary
    also included the remarks of Chairman-designate Adm. Mullen and Vice
    Chairman-designate Gen. Cartwright.