Five facts about top U.S. military chief nominee

(Reuters) - Defense Secretary Robert Gates on Friday recommended that President George W. Bush nominate Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, the chief of naval operations, to a two-year stint as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

If confirmed by the Senate, Mullen would replace Marine Gen. Peter Pace as the Pentagon's top military officer at a time when the United States is embroiled in an unpopular war in Iraq and ongoing military operations in Afghanistan.

Following are five facts about Mullen.

* Mullen became chief of naval operations on July 22, 2005, replacing retired Adm. Vern Clark. In his 2006 book, "State of Denial," journalist Bob Woodward says Clark was a candidate for chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in 2001 until he clashed with former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld.

* Mullen was commander of U.S. naval forces in Europe, where he also had responsibility for NATO missions in the Balkans, Iraq, and the Mediterranean.

* His last command at sea was as commander of the U.S. Second Fleet and the NATO Striking Fleet Atlantic.

* He has a master of science degree in operations research from the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California, and is a graduate of Harvard Business School's advanced management program.

* A native of Los Angeles, Mullen graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1968.