U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter said Monday the soon-to-be-nominated commander of U.S. Forces Korea will serve the job well, praising him as a "strategic planner" with various operational experiences.

Gen. Vincent Brooks, commander of U.S. Army Pacific, has all but been officially nominated to succeed Gen. Curtis Scaparrotti as USFK commander. Scaparrotti, who took over USFK in 2013, was tapped earlier this month to be NATO's top military commander.

"Gen. Brooks has served our military with distinction and has been a pioneer and trailblazer from his first days as an officer," Carter said in a statement congratulating Brooks on his upcoming nomination.

"As an operational leader in multiple theaters including the Korean Peninsula, the Balkans, and the Middle East, Gen. Brooks has developed a keen appreciation for the responsibilities of command and the importance of partnerships as a force multiplier," Carter said.

Brooks also has a "deep understanding of the needs of the men and women on the ground that is complemented by his skills as a communicator and strategic planner, developed during demanding tours at U.S. Central Command and at the Pentagon," Carter said, adding that Brooks, as U.S. Army Pacific commander, has played a critical role in the U.S. rebalance to that region.

"These experiences will serve him well as he assumes command of U.S. Forces Korea and builds upon the partnerships and alliances which were strengthened under the excellent leadership of Gen. Curtis Scaparrotti," Carter said.

If confirmed, Brooks will be the first black USFK commander.

Brooks graduated from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point in 1980, where he became the first black brigade commander or "first captain" of cadets.

He earned a master's degree in military art and science from the School of Advanced Military Studies at the Army Command and General Staff College, and an honorary doctor of laws degree from the New England School of Law in Boston. He also served as a national security fellow at the Harvard University John F. Kennedy School of Government.

About 28,500 American troops are stationed in South Korea to deter North Korean aggression, a legacy of the 1950-53 Korean War that ended in a truce, not a peace treaty, leaving the divided peninsula still technically at war. (Yonhap)