Navy Vice Adm. William H. McRaven took command Friday of the Joint Special Operations Command from Army Lt. Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal, according to a report in Saturday editions of The Fayetteville (N.C.) Observer.

McRaven is a three-star admiral.

JSOC brings together the Army, Navy and Air Force’s most secretive counterterrorist forces.

McChrystal, who had been in command since October 2003, will become director of the Joint Staff at the Pentagon, the Observer noted.

McRaven was most recently the commander of Special Operations Command Europe in Stuttgart, Germany.

Army officers had commanded JSOC since its founding in 1980, the paper reported.

Marine nominated for No. 2 CENTCOM postWASHINGTON – The Defense Department announced Friday that President Bush has nominated a Marine two-star general to serve as deputy commander of the U.S. Central Command.

In announcing the nomination of Marine Corps Maj. Gen. John R. Allen, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates stated in a news release that Allen also has been recommended for promotion to lieutenant general.

Allen is deputy commanding general of the Marine Expeditionary Force and commanding general of the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade, both based at Camp Lejeune, N.C.

If the nomination is approved, he will become deputy commander to Army Gen. David H. Petreaus, who was tabbed for the top slot in April.

CENTCOM’s theater of operation includes Afghanistan and Iraq.

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