The general nominated to lead the Army is a combat-proven leader who’s well-equipped to guide the service into the future, the current Army chief of staff said.

“Congratulations to Gen. Randy George on his nomination as the 41st Chief of Staff of the Army,” Gen. James McConville, the 40th chief of staff, wrote on Twitter. “He is a combat-proven leader who’s the right person at the right time and if confirmed, will guide our Army into the future.”

George has served as the Army vice chief of staff since August. He was nominated April 20 by President Joe Biden to be the Army’s top officer. Before being sworn in as the 38th Army vice chief of staff, George was the senior military assistant to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin.

If confirmed by the Senate, George would succeed McConville, who is retiring this summer after a four-year term.

“Gen. George is honored to be considered and will wait for the results of the confirmation process before commenting on the nomination publicly,” Army spokesperson Lt. Col. Loni Ayers said in a statement.

A 1988 West Point graduate who first enlisted as a private and has served multiple combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, George, if confirmed, would lead the Army during a critical time as it faces a historically challenging recruiting environment, growing demands and evolving threats across the globe and a sweeping transformation that will change the way soldiers fight.

The Army is updating its doctrine and formations and developing leap-ahead technologies and equipment to prepare for large-scale combat operations and multidomain fights. It is competing with China, supporting operations in Ukraine, reassuring allies and partners in Europe, building relationships in the Indo-Pacific and the Middle East and supporting missions at home.

It also is struggling to compete with the private sector for talented young men and women who want to and are qualified to serve, and it continues to work on retaining and taking care of those already in the ranks.

In testimony on Capitol Hill before he was nominated to become the next Army chief of staff, George said the Army must be ready for anything.

“Our Army is also transforming, because, honestly, we don’t have an option,” George said. “Warfare is changing, and we must change because of it to ensure we stay ahead of our potential adversaries.”