Updated

President Bush has nominated Gen. T. Michael Moseley (search), the No. 2 officer in the Air Force, to succeed the current chief, Gen. John Jumper.

Moseley has been the service's deputy chief of staff since August 2003. After the Sept. 11 attacks, he oversaw the air wars in Afghanistan and the most recent war in Iraq as commander of Central Command air forces.

Jumper is due to finish his four-year term as Air Force (search) chief of staff in September and retire.

If approved, Moseley would inherit an Air Force that is generally regarded as having succeeded in Iraq and Afghanistan but is now facing contracting and sex scandals. It now operates primarily in a supporting role in fighting the ongoing insurgency in Iraq, with the Army and Marines facing the majority of combat there.

Military colleagues and experts describe Moseley as a campaigner for more joint operations in the military, a concept that calls for less and less distinction between the military services.

A native Texan, Moseley received a bachelor's degree from Texas A&M University in 1971 and a master's degree in 1972. He flew the F-15 Eagle fighter.