CAMP FOSTER, Okinawa — The top Marine in Japan has been nominated to take over all Marine forces in the Atlantic and Europe.

Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld has nominated Lt. Gen. Robert R. Blackman Jr. to assume command of U.S. Marine Corps Forces Atlantic, the Defense Department stated in a news release.

If confirmed by the U.S. Senate, Blackman, now the commanding general of the III Marine Expeditionary Force, also will wear the hats of commanding general, Fleet Marine Forces Atlantic; commander, U.S. Marine Corps Bases Atlantic; commander, U.S. Marine Corps Forces Europe; and commander, U.S. Marine Corps Forces South.

Blackman, who assumed command of the III MEF on Okinawa in July 2003, is used to wearing several hats.

His current titles also include commanding general of Marine Corps Bases and Marine Corps Forces Japan.

As the ranking U.S. general on Okinawa, he also was the Okinawa area coordinator.

If confirmed, Blackman would relieve Lt. General Martin R. Berndt.

In mid-April, Rumsfeld nominated Maj. Gen. Joseph F. Weber for promotion and to assume Blackman’s commands.

Weber formerly was commanding general of the 3rd Marine Division on Okinawa for two years before becoming chief of staff of the Multi-National Force-Iraq in September 2004.

Marine Corps Forces Atlantic, one of three major Marine Corps commands, is based at Norfolk Naval Base, Va.

It organizes, trains and equips deployed forces to support Unified or Joint Task Force commanders and fleet commanders in chief.

The warfighting arm of Marine Corps Forces Atlantic is the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force, about 45,000 personnel from the 2nd Marine Division, 2nd Force Service Support Group and 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing.