Maj. Gen. Francis J. Wiercinski was nominated today for his third star and appointed to be the next commanding general of U.S. Army Pacific headquartered at Fort Shafter.

Wiercinski, now a two-star general, was commanding general of U.S. Army Japan/commanding general and commanding general of I Corps in Japan for the past 28 months.

He will replace Lt. Gen. Benjamin Mixon, who is retiring and has been at Fort Shafter for five years.

Wiercinski was 25th Infantry Division deputy commanding general from 2006-2008; and then moved Fort Shafter to be deputy commanding general of U.S. Army Pacific from 2007-2008.

Earlier in his career, he served as a rifle company commander in the 25th Infantry Division from 1983-1984.

He is a 1979 graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point, N.Y.

As Army Pacific force commander Wiercinski commands 53,000 soldiers and 11,000 civilians throughout Pacific and Asia.