McChrystal Calls it a Career; Honored in D.C.

Army Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal, former leader of U.S. and international forces in Afghanistan, retired at a ceremony in Washington, D.C.

Department of Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates lauded McChrystal for his time in the service.

“We bid farewell to Stan McChrystal today with pride and sadness,” Gates said. “Pride for his unique record as a man and soldier; sadness that our comrade and his prestigious talents are leaving us.This consummate ranger possessed one of the sharpest and most inquisitive minds in the Army.”

Gates characterized McChrystal’s efforts in the war as “groundbreaking,” while working to creating success on the battlefield

“Over the past decade, no single American has inflicted more fear and more loss of life on our country’s most vicious and violent enemies than Stan McChrystal,” he said. “Commanding special operation forces in Afghanistan and Iraq, Stan was a pioneer in creating a revolution in warfare that fused intelligence and operations.”

Gates credited McChrystal with turning the advantage to the Americans in Iraq following the dark days of 2006 and 2007.

“It was a campaign that was well underway before the surge, … when so many had given up hope in our mission there,” Gates said. “Stan McChrystal never lost faith in his troopers, never relented, never gave up on Iraq.”

McChrystal resigned after Rolling Stone published article quoted harsh criticisms of several key administration officials. President Barack Obama nominated Army Gen. David H. Petraeus for the job June 23, and Petraeus was confirmed by the Senate on June 30.

“This has the potential to be an awkward, or even a sad occasion,” McChrystal said. “With my resignation, I left a mission I feel strongly about. I ended a career I loved that began over 38 years ago, and I left unfulfilled commitments I made to many comrades in the fight. My service did not end as I would have wished. Still [my wife] Annie and I aren’t approaching the future with sadness, but with hope.”

McChrystal noted that it was the people that helped form the special moments in his career.

“It’s always about the people,” he said. “It was about the soldiers who were well trained; the young sergeants who emerged from the ranks with strength, discipline, commitment and courage. To have shared so much with, and been so dependent on people of such courage, integrity and selflessness, taught me to believe.”

Posted by John Adams on Monday, July 26th, 2010. Filed under General, News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry