WASHINGTON - The Senate has approved President Barack Obama's nomination of Army Gen. Martin Dempsey to be the next chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Dempsey, who is currently the Army's chief of staff, will succeed Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, who is due to retire October 1.

Obama will be looking to Dempsey and new Defense Secretary Leon Panetta to manage future defense spending cuts without undermining military readiness. The new lineup comes as Obama looks to wind down the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The Senate also confirmed Navy Adm. James Winnefeld as vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs, Gen. Ray Odierno as Army chief and Adm. Jonathan Greenert as chief of naval operations.

The nominations were all approved by voice vote Tuesday.