Then-Maj. Gen. James Mingus salutes marching paratroopers during a change-of-command ceremony in August 2018 at Pike Field on then-Fort Bragg, N.C., which is now Fort Liberty. (Michelle U. Blesam/U.S. Army)

WASHINGTON — Lt. Gen. James Mingus was nominated Tuesday by President Joe Biden to become the Army’s next vice chief of staff.

Mingus also would be promoted to the rank of general and receive a fourth star if confirmed by the Senate. He has been the director of the Pentagon’s Joint Staff since June 2022. Mingus joined the Joint Staff in October 2020 as director for operations.

During the last year, one of his duties included serving on a new high-level team focused on rushing military aid to Ukraine.

If confirmed, Mingus would work closely with Gen. Randy George, the Army vice chief of staff now who is nominated to become the service’s top officer. George testified this week before the Senate Armed Services Committee for the new post. The Army is expected to miss its recruitment goal by 30% this year, continuing a worrying trend that George told the committee he would work to reverse in the service’s highest-ranking post.

George is set to replace outgoing Gen. James McConville, who will retire Aug. 9.

If Mingus and George make it through the committee, it remains a challenge for them to be confirmed by the full Senate. Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., who is a member of the committee, continues to block the Senate from making standard voice votes to approve military promotions over his objection to a Pentagon policy that provides travel money to troops for reproductive health care, including abortions. The nominees can be confirmed by the Senate one by one in a process that would consume months of the upper chamber’s floor time.

There were 265 senior military officers whose promotions have been held up by Tuberville as of Friday, and the number could grow to 650 by the end of the year if the issue isn't resolved, Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina Singh said Monday.