Adm. Michael Mullen

Why He Matters

As the 17th Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman, Mullen is the top uniformed adviser to the president, the National Security Council, the Homeland Security Council and the Defense secretary. President George W. Bush nominated Mullen to the top job in September 2007. It's unclear how long his tenure will be.

Mullen is regarded as a keen strategic thinker and problem-solver who possesses a creative intellect and a pragmatic worldview. His predecessors, Air Force Gen. Richard Myers and Marine Corps Gen. Peter Pace, were largely marginalized by former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld. Defense observers have praised Mullen for restoring the traditional role of the chairman, while also providing the nation's top leaders with frank assessments and level-headed proposals.

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