YOKOTA AIR BASE, Japan -- President Barack Obama has nominated Lt. Gen. Burton Field, commander of U.S. Forces Japan, to be the next Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations, Plans and Requirements at the Pentagon, the Air Force announced Friday.

Field, a former fighter pilot served as the senior military adviser to the U.S. Special Representative for Afghanistan/Pakistan at the Pentagon before pinning on his third star and taking command of USFJ in October 2010.

Obama also has nominated Maj. Gen. Salvatore A. Angelella, now vice director for strategic plans and policy for the joint staff at the Pentagon, to be the next USFJ commander and for a promotion to lieutenant general. He served as vice commander of 5th Air Force and deputy commander of 13th Air Force at Yokota for nearly two years before going to the Pentagon in November 2010.

The USFJ commander position is always held by an Air Force officer who also serves as the commander of 5th Air Force.

The Senate must approve the president's nominations before the men can take over the positions.