U.S. Department of Defense

Mullen Visits Florida, Colombia

U.S. Navy Adm. Michael G. Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and U.S. Navy Adm. William J. Fallon, commander, U.S. Central Command, greet Iraqi Gen. Babakir Zebari, the chief of staff of the Iraqi armed forces, during the Central Command Chief of Defense Conference in St. Petersburg, Fla., Jan. 15, 2008. Central Command hosted the conference where more than a dozen defense chiefs from Central Asia and the Middle East met to discuss regional issues. Mullen attended the conference before beginning a five-day tour of the U.S. Southern Command area of operations.

U.S. Navy Adm. Michael G. Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, speaks during the Central Command Chief of Defense Conference in St. Petersburg, Fla., Jan. 15, 2008.

Participants at Central Command Chief of Defense Conference in St. Petersburg, Fla., gather for a group photo during break in the meeting, Jan. 15, 2008. U.S. Navy Adm. Michael G. Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, addressed the conference, where more than 12 different middle eastern and Central Asia chiefs of defense gathered to discuss regional issues.

Colombian military leaders welcome U.S. Navy Adm. Michael G. Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, to Bogota, Colombia, with an honors ceremony, Jan. 16, 2008. Mullen is on a five-day trip to the U.S. Southern Command area of operations.

U.S. Navy Adm. Michael G. Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Freddy Padilla, Colombian chief of defense and Vice Adm. Guillermo Barrera, commander of the Colombian Navy, render salutes during a full honors ceremony welcoming Mullen to Colombia, Jan. 16, 2008.

Gen. George Ballesteros Rodriguez, commander, Colombian Air Force, U.S. Navy Adm. Michael G. Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Freddy Padilla, Colombian chief of defense and Vice Adm. Guillermo Barrera, commander of the Colombian Navy, participate in a full honors ceremony welcoming Mullen to Colombia, Jan. 16, 2008.

U.S. Navy Adm. Michael G. Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, greets U.S. Marines assigned to the embassy in Bogota, Colombia, Jan. 16, 2008. Mullen is on a five-day tour of the U.S. Southern Command area of operations.

U.S. Navy Adm. Michael G. Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and U.S. Navy Adm. William J. Fallon, commander, U.S. Central Command, greet Iraqi Gen. Babakir Zebari, the chief of staff of the Iraqi armed forces, during the Central Command Chief of Defense Conference in St. Petersburg, Fla., Jan. 15, 2008. Central Command hosted the conference where more than a dozen defense chiefs from Central Asia and the Middle East met to discuss regional issues. Mullen attended the conference before beginning a five-day tour of the U.S. Southern Command area of operations.
U.S. photo by Petty Officer 1st Class Chad J. McNeeley