Stavridis, currently head of Southern Command, "is probably one of the best senior military officers we have," Gates told a news conference.

If nominated by President Barack Obama and confirmed, the admiral would become the first naval officer to take the NATO post.

Stavridis, who would replace General John Craddock, would take over the NATO command at a time when the alliance faces an increasingly violent insurgency in Afghanistan and doubts about the mission among European voters.

Stavridis, a 1976 graduate of the US naval academy, commanded a carrier strike group in the Persian Gulf in support of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan from 2002 to 2004.

An author of books on naval command with doctorate and masters degrees, Stavridis served as a senior military assistant to former defense secretary Donald Rumsfeld under the previous administration.

"I think Admiral Stavridis has done a specular job at SouthCom in strengthening our military-to-military relationships throughout Latin America," Gates said.

"I think it's a challenging job, and I think he has done it extraordinarily well," said Gates.

The defense chief also renominated Admiral Mike Mullen as the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the country's top military officer.

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