Gen. Stanley McChrystal, who is expected to request 30,000 to 40,000 additional troops, met with Joint Chiefs Chairman Mike Mullen at Ramstein Air Base in Germany, FOX News has confirmed. 

Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, received the widely anticipated troop request Friday from the top commander in Afghanistan, aides told FOX News.

Mullen, accompanied by Gen. David Petraeus and other top military officials, met at Ramstein Air Base in Germany with Gen. Stanley McChrystal, who is expected to ask for 30,000 to 40,000 additional troops. Mullen is now headed back to the U.S., FOX News has confirmed.

Mullen asked McChrystal for the meeting earlier in the week following the leak of McChrystal’s strategic assessment to hear directly from his commander what resources and how many troops he will need to succeed in Afghanistan, aides told FOX News.

“He wanted to understand the request for himself before it arrives in Washington and he is asked to discuss, defend it,” an aide told FOX News.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates is expected to receive the troop request Friday. But Gates will hold onto the request until the White House and Pentagon get to a “proper stage” in their assessment of the war in Afghanistan, a Pentagon spokesman said earlier this week, explaining that it is premature for the request to be considered until the assessment is fully reviewed.

Mullen hand-picked McChrystal to lead the fight in Afghanistan after firing Gen. David McKiernan in May.