(DURHAM) -- The nation's highest-ranking military officer took the stage at Duke University to talk about the military moving forward. Thursday's appearance came just a week after President Obama announced a new national strategy for a leaner, smaller military.

Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Martin Dempsey told the gathering in Durham that the goal continues to be making America's soldiers the world's top freedom fighters. "I think the most important part of the emerging defense strategy and where we're trying to get between now and 2020 is, we are confronting that fact that in a constrained fiscal environment we still aspire to be, need to be and will be a global power," said Gen. Dempsey.

He added that the new strategy for a sleeker military, unveiled by President Obama last week, is a new direction that seeks to maximize the abilities of our fighting men and women.

Dempsey, who has spent nearly 40 years in the Army, has held commands in Iraq and Afghanistan and other posts in the Middle East and Europe.  As Joint Chiefs chairman, he is the top adviser to the president on military matters.