Bobbie O'Brien
Dorie Griggs
Liisa Hyvarinen Temple
Michelle VanHuss
Tracie Ciambotti
Jackie DorrThe following is a statement released by Secretary of Defense Leon E. Panetta on General John Allen’s Decision to Retire:
Sec. of Defense Leon Panetta. Photo courtesy of the Dept. of Defense website.
“Gen. John Allen has proven himself to be one of the United States military’s most outstanding battlefield leaders, a brilliant strategist, and an exemplary Marine, and I am deeply grateful for his many years of dedicated service to our country.
“I will be forever thankful that the international effort in Afghanistan was in Gen. Allen’s capable hands during much of my tenure as secretary of defense. His leadership over the last 19 months will long be remembered as pivotal to this campaign. The strategy he developed and implemented has put us on the right path towards completing this mission, with Afghan forces now on track to step into the lead for security nationwide this spring and to assume full security responsibility by the end of next year.
“Gen. Allen’s selfless dedication to our troops and to their mission was a source of inspiration to those who served with him, as well as to those of us here at home. He has earned the lasting thanks of this nation for carrying the heavy burden of leadership with utmost professionalism and courage. I wish him and his entire family all the best in the next chapter of their lives.”
Filed under: Afghanistan, Department of Defense Tagged: | Afghan National Army, Leon Panetta, Marine Gen. John Allen, United States Secretary of Defense
I condivide totally and surely Gen. Allen has been commander chief on time and zone where a man is totally involved on situation and by situation, and hard situation with imprevible events. This period, not easy to govern nor control for its complexity, has enhanced Allen command. Whissess of a good rest to him. claudio alpaca