Obama to pick Marine for Joint Chiefs chair

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama will nominate Marine Gen. Joseph Dunford as the next chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, choosing a widely respected, combat-hardened commander who led the Afghanistan war coalition during a key transitional period during 2013-14, U.S. officials said Monday.

Officials also said Obama is tapping Air Force Gen. Paul Selva to serve as vice chairman. Selva is currently the head of U.S. Transportation Command at Scott Air Force Base in Illinois.