Thrift Savings Plan to Offer New Roth Option

By Karen Parrish

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, April 13, 2012 – Service members and Defense Department civilian employees who are eligible for the Thrift Savings Plan will soon have a new Roth option for retirement savings under the program, defense finance officials announced today.

The change will allow participants to contribute after-tax dollars to the federal government-sponsored retirement savings and investment plan, according to a Defense Finance and Accounting Service statement released today.

As with traditional and Roth individual retirement accounts, the TSP’s two options will now allow plan participants to invest either before- or after-tax dollars, although limits on annual contributions, catch-up contributions and agency matching funds will remain the same, officials said.

The plan, which is similar to a 401(k), is open to federal civilian employees and military members. For 2012, the maximum contribution is set at $17,000. Catch-up contributions, available to participants 50 or older, are capped at $5,500 over the standard limit.

Only civilian employees are eligible for agency matching contributions.  All eligible civilian employees receive one percent in agency matching funds. Eligible plan participants receive a dollar-for-dollar agency matching contribution for the first three percent of pay they contribute, and 50 cents on the dollar for contributions of between three and five percent. Contributions above 5 percent of pay are not matched.

The current plan treats all contributions as pre-tax dollars – participants do not pay taxes on pay they put into the plan, but will pay deferred taxes when they receive those funds in retirement.

The new Roth option will allow contributions that are taxed in the year they are made, but will be tax-free in retirement, TSP officials said.

Greg T. Long, TSP executive director, urged in a letter to participants that they carefully consider whether Roth TSP would be to their advantage.

“As with all tax matters, you should seek the advice of a qualified tax or financial advisor for information pertaining to your specific tax situation,” Long wrote.

He added the plan’s website will soon offer a Roth calculator, and other website content including forms and publications will be updated in May to include information about the Roth feature. 

Defense finance officials said the Roth option will be available on a phased basis by military service from June to October. Officials said the schedule will allow service finance employees to complete and thoroughly test the complex changes needed to the various payroll systems.  

Defense finance officials said more specific deployment dates on Roth TSP elections will soon be available on www.dfas.mil.

Officials said service members and their families may contact Military OneSource at 800-342-9647 to schedule an appointment with a financial consultant.

Panetta, Dempsey: Chiarelli Inspired All

By Karen Parrish
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Jan. 31, 2012 – The Defense Department and the Army said goodbye today to a general known for his leadership and his innovation, but who may be best remembered for his focus on advancing brain injury treatment and mental health care.

Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta and Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, were among hundreds who gathered today at Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall’s Summerall Field to celebrate the career of Army Gen. Peter W. Chiarelli, Army vice chief of staff, as he retired following 40 years of service.

As the son of a World War II Silver Star recipient, Chiarelli “exemplified the values of his father: of patriotism, of courage, of resilience, of dedication,” the secretary said.

Panetta said he traveled to Baghdad as part of the Iraq Study Group in September 2006, where the group heard a briefing from Chiarelli, then commander of Multinational Corps Iraq. Iraq at the time was “in considerable turmoil,” the secretary said.

“But Pete’s presentation demonstrated an extraordinary knowledge of the 21st-century battlefield,” he continued. “He was honest, he was direct, he called it as it was, and he pulled no punches.”

The secretary said one member of the group who was particularly impressed with Chiarelli was then-Texas A&M University President Robert M. Gates, who as secretary of defense later chose the general to serve as his senior military assistant.

“For 17 months, Pete served as Bob Gates’ right-hand man, advising him on a full range of pressing national security matters, and always -- always -- giving him insight into how the decisions he was making would impact on the men and women on the battlefield.”

The hallmark of Chiarelli’s career is “the depth of his concern for the welfare of every soldier,” the secretary said. “It’s that quality that made him the perfect choice to be the vice chief of staff of the Army.”

For his more than three years in that job, Chiarelli has not rested, Panetta said, but has devoted himself to improving the lives of soldiers and family members at a time of extraordinary strain.

“Under his leadership, the Army has taken tremendous steps to give soldiers increased dwell time [at home stations] between deployments, and he’s been an outspoken advocate for wounded warriors -- in particular, those suffering from the unseen wounds of war,” the secretary said.

More than any other officer, Panetta added, Chiarelli sought to eliminate the stigma of post-traumatic stress and other mental health issues.

“And he’s devoted every ounce of his energy to the problem of suicide in the Army,” the secretary said. … “Thanks to his tireless efforts, the department is fully working to confront these issues.”

Panetta said Chiarelli and his wife, Beth, have made “an extraordinary difference.”

“You’ve touched so many lives,” he told the couple. “You’ve inspired all of us … to redouble our efforts to protect the men and women who fight to protect us.”

Panetta assured Chiarelli that while the nation’s military members will miss him, “the light that you have lit will continue to shine, and to light our way in the future.”

Dempsey used his remarks in part to offer guidance to media members covering the event: “I want you to report that we have never had a finer man in uniform, and never a finer couple, than Pete and Beth Chiarelli,” he said.

Dempsey said his fellow general is an outstanding son, husband, and father, as well as “an unbelievable friend.” But as a soldier, the chairman added, Chiarelli “is a giant of a man in every way, inside and out.”

Dempsey said that after watching Chiarelli “stalking the halls of the Pentagon,” he finally got the image he was seeking to describe his fellow general, likening the general to Paul Bunyan, the larger-than-life lumberjack of North American folklore.

“[It’s] almost like he’s got a big hatchet or ax on his back, hacking his way through the bureaucracy to make life better for soldiers and their families,” the chairman said.

Dempsey said before the end of the Cold War, Chiarelli was known as one of the finest trainers in the Army, and was the first commander assigned to Iraq to realize -- and train his staff to deal with -- the key question of how to run a city.

In Baghdad, Chiarelli led the Army to transform its “fundamentally flawed” command-and-control structures, and then to make those systems reach to ground troops, so a squad leader could build context from the bottom up, Dempsey said.

When he came back from war, Dempsey added, Chiarelli confronted the Army’s “enduring challenge” with traumatic brain injury and post-traumatic stress injury.

“He drove our Army -- drove it -- to recognize the problem, to reduce the stigma, to confront it. And that was Pete Chiarelli,” Dempsey said.

Beth Chiarelli likewise worked to improve the Army, the chairman noted, by focusing among many other issues on the challenges military children face while changing schools frequently during a parent’s career.

“Here’s the bottom line,” Dempsey said. “The enduring example of both Pete and Beth Chiarelli is that you have to live with a passion for something. The goal is not just to make a living, but to make a difference. And boy oh boy, did you two make a difference.”

On Chiarelli’s last day at work, Dempsey noted, hundreds of members of the Army staff formed a cordon from his Pentagon office to the parking lot to “clap him out” of the job.

“What struck me was this wasn’t organized by his executive officer, it wasn’t organized by any other general officer, it was organized by the noncommissioned officers,” the chairman said. “And if that doesn’t tell you about Pete Chiarelli, you don’t know anything about Pete Chiarelli.”

During the ceremony, Chiarelli received the Defense Distinguished Service Medal, the department’s highest noncombat military award. His wife, Beth, received the Secretary of the Army Exceptional Civilian Service Award, the highest Army honor a civilian can receive.

Chiarelli thanked his wife and their four grown children for their love and support during his career. Marrying Beth was the “best decision I ever made,” he said, adding that they are both “immensely proud” of their sons and daughter.

Chiarelli said he bought his father a journal after the senior Chiarelli retired, and asked him to record some of his experiences from World War II, during which the older Chiarelli received a battlefield commission.

“I still have that journal,” the general said. “Every page is blank. He never wrote a single word. Like many from his generation, he never talked about his experience or exploits in combat.”

One of his father’s fellow soldiers, however, sent him a 24-page narrative outlining some of the two men’s shared exploits across North Africa, Italy, southern France, Austria and Germany.

That document proved to him something he’s also learned for himself over four decades in uniform, Chiarelli said: “There is undeniably a thread that links every soldier to those who came before, and those still to come.”

Years after commanding 1st Cavalry Division in Iraq and later Multinational Corps Iraq, Chiarelli said, not a day goes by that he doesn’t think of the 650 soldiers under his command who were killed.

“I would trade all the medals and ribbons on my chest, and every bit of rank, to get just one back,” he said.

Two years ago, Chiarelli added, he presented a Purple Heart to a young staff sergeant who had been wounded in successive roadside bomb explosions in Afghanistan.

“He was there with his parents, his wife and their two children,” the general said. “Over the course of our conversation, he told me how much he loved being a soldier, leading soldiers. He wanted desperately to get back to his unit.”

Chiarelli said the young man was suffering from traumatic brain injury, and it was “readily apparent to me he had difficulty gathering his thoughts and speaking.”

The general said he now believes the invisible injuries of post-traumatic stress and traumatic brain injury are the signature wounds of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.

“While we have made significant progress in recent years, we must, must, must continue our efforts,” Chiarelli said. “We owe it to our men and women in uniform, active and reserve, as well as veterans, and their families.

“I want this to be my parting message to all of you as I leave our Army’s active ranks,” he concluded. “I certainly hope in retirement to be able to continue to champion this most important cause, and contribute in some meaningful way.”

Flournoy Discusses State of World as She Leaves Office

By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Jan. 30, 2012 – The day Navy SEALs killed Osama bin Laden was also a long and tense day for Michele Flournoy, the undersecretary of defense for policy.

She was at the White House on May 2 helping then-Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates make calls to foreign civilian and military leaders. She was among the first to know that the joint special operations mission deep in Pakistan had been successful.

Late that night after President Barack Obama’s announcement that justice had caught up with the 9-11 planner, Flournoy walked out of the White House. “I didn’t know that people had spontaneously gathered outside,” she said. “I could hear them singing but not identify it at first. Then I recognized the ‘Star-Spangled Banner.’ It was an incredible moment.”

Flournoy will leave office this week after serving during three years of incredible change for the department and the world. The president has nominated James Miller, the current principle deputy at the office, to succeed her.

When Flournoy came into office there were still more than 100,000 troops in Iraq and violence was growing in Afghanistan. There was a plan in place to end U.S. involvement in Iraq and a question mark about what to do in Afghanistan.

The bin Laden raid marked a high point for the world in the war on terrorists. Flournoy credits President Barack Obama’s leadership for being key to success. “This was not a slam dunk in terms of an easy judgment call,” she said. “This was something that frankly he had some very senior advisors telling him not to do. He took a calculated risk, but at the end of the day it was an extremely strong decision, and one that meant a lot symbolically in the fight against al-Qaida.”

Flournoy is happy with the progress made against this deadly terror group, but “it’s a project we’re not finished with yet,” she said. “We should be particularly grateful for the contributions of our special operations and intelligence forces.”

The U.S. military left Iraq at the end of 2011, and after a surge of 33,000 American troops into Afghanistan, there is enough progress that a drawdown has begun there.

Some talking heads have said the U.S. military is now in decline, a premise with which Flournoy strongly disagrees. “This is not a military in decline,” she said. “It’s hard to remember a time when the U.S. had more capability, more professional expertise, more people who were battle-tested at the pinnacle of their profession of arms.”

It is only natural, she said, that as one war ends and another draws down that military officials are contemplating a smaller force. “We grew the force to accommodate these two large ground wars,” Flournoy said. “It’s only expected you would examine this drawdown over time.”

Flournoy cited two of Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta’s guidelines for the new defense strategy. The first was at the end of the process, America would still have the most powerful military in the world. “Second, he said he wanted to learn the lessons of previous drawdowns,” she said.

Previous drawdowns resulted in a hollow force -- meaning typically too much force structure and sacrifices to training, modernization and readiness. “So the force looks good on paper, but it’s not what the country really needs,” she said. “We’ve looked that risk in the eye and we’re doing everything we can to be mindful and avoid a hollow force this time.”

Many service members see the policy position as one that doesn’t have any impact on their lives; however, “policy first and foremost really affects where we focus our attention as an instrument of national policy,” the undersecretary said. “It affects where we’re going in Afghanistan and what we commit to there, [and] our broader global sense of priorities.”

Obama announced a new defense strategy earlier this month that talks about re-balancing the U.S. military to put greater emphasis on Asia. “That, long term, is going to affect the lives of service members as more and more of them will be asked to serve in Asia in support of building partner capacity there, enhancing deterrence, reassuring allies and so forth,” Flournoy said.

Asia is becoming more important to America, she said, noting Asian markets and suppliers drive the U.S. economy. “With the end of the war in Iraq, we have more ‘bandwidth’ to focus on the future. Obviously we will do what we need to to prevail in Afghanistan, but as we think more and more about the future we see both the challenges and opportunities arising out of Asia.”

The rise of China and India as world powers reinforces the trend, but the United States must cultivate other nations in Southeast Asia, Flournoy said. Also important, she noted, is the continued and deep alliances with Japan and South Korea.

“The United States is a Pacific power and has always played a unique role in underwriting the security under which all that dynamism and economic growth has been based,” Flournoy said.

But could Asia remain stable without the United States? “It’s hard to imagine that with so much competition and periods of great tension and even conflict,” she said. “It is something that even countries that are not our allies -- like China and other countries in the region -- all tend to acknowledge that the United States plays a stabilizing influence and they don’t want us to leave.”

The Middle East and Central Asia remain areas of turmoil, but Flournoy feels good about the responsible conclusion in Iraq. “We’ve set Iraq up to be a stable and sovereign and self-reliant country,” she said, “and we’ve set ourselves up to have a very robust security relationship with them going forward.

“And I think we’ve turned around the strategy in Afghanistan,” she continued. “I think there has been a lot of progress there. For the first time in five years, violence is down in Afghanistan.” For the first time in years, the United States has “a shot” at achieving its goals, she added.

The NATO operation to protect civilians in Libya from Libyan dictator Moammar Gadhafi is a good model for the future, Flournoy noted. The U.S. military played a limited role focused on the unique capabilities that the American military possesses, such as air-to-air refueling; intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance assets; and command–and-control infrastructure.

The United States had important interests, but they were not vital in the country. Other nations had far more at stake. “I actually think this is an interesting model for the future, particularly as we have greater success in building partner and allied capacity and others are capable of stepping in to take a leadership role,” she said.

The actions over Libya and in Afghanistan prove that NATO is an active and vibrant alliance, Flournoy noted. “The question for NATO is as these economic pressures increase on our European allies, how are they going to manage their own defense enterprise? How are they going to keep investing in defense capabilities that enable them to keep contributing to the future?”

NATO needs to take stock of the assets within the alliance and find a smarter and cheaper way to provide capabilities. “How do we leverage each others’ strengths?” she asked. “How do we mitigate the shortfalls that we experience? We need to put our minds together to ensure the sum of the contributions is greater than the ‘eaches.’”

Flournoy saw increased emphasis on cybersecurity and expects operations in cyberspace to become more important in the years to come. Her office gets involved because the domain is so new, and experts are puzzling over what constitutes an attack. What constitutes an act of war? What is an appropriate response?

This past year saw the Arab Awakening and Flournoy sees it as both a challenge and an opportunity. “It’s a number of countries trying to embrace the ideals that have defined the United States since its founding -- democracy, rule of law, open dialogue, a vibrant public square,” she said.

“The challenge comes because this is happening in areas where the societies have really been oppressed so there haven’t been conditions for the development of political parties, free and fair elections and debate and so forth,” she said.

Right now, some of the parties best positioned to exploit the opportunities “are not the most representative or most democratic,” she said. “Long term, I think this will prove to be a positive development in this part of the world.”

After three years of a frenetic pace, Flournoy will take some time to get re-acquainted with her family. But she will miss the job, she said.

“I’ve had the good fortune to work with two extraordinary secretaries of defense, a wonderful team of military counterparts and the chance to interact with the extraordinary men and women who service in uniform,” she said. “In my trips to Afghanistan and Iraq and other operational areas, I was just consistently bowled over by the quality of the people and their dedication to the mission.”

Wisconsin Guard welcomes new enlisted leader, bids farewell to 40-year veteran

By Tech. Sgt. Jon LaDue
Wisconsin National Guard

Following nearly four years as the Wisconsin Air National Guard's top enlisted leader, Chief Master Sgt. James Chisholm transferred responsibility to Chief Master Sgt. Greg Cullen following an official ceremony at Joint Force Headquarters earlier this month.

Cullen became the 12th command chief master sergeant for Wisconsin as Chisholm prepares to retire following more than 40 years of service in the Wisconsin Air National Guard.

Cullen, a Milton native who now resides in Tomah, has been dreaming for an opportunity like this for a long time. He says he was grateful to be considered among the 38 chiefs eligible in the state.

"I am very excited but very humbled." Cullen said. "We have a lot of outstanding chiefs in the WIANG ... so to be selected among them is truly an honor."

Challenges that faced Chisholm are still challenges that Cullen must face today - a task he says he is up to. Cullen will focus on emphasizing in-residence professional military education, civilian education and recognizing the "outstanding work our Airmen do across the state."

"I'd like to continue what Chief Chisholm and others have started," Cullen said.

Perhaps the biggest challenge Cullen faces, however, is something the entire National Guard faces - unyielding budget constraints and the uncertainty of future missions as the United States reduces its footprint in Iraq and Afghanistan for the first time since 2001.

"There are lots of rumors out there and we want to make sure Wisconsin stays at the top of everyone's list, to keep us relevant in the Guard organization." Cullen said.

Cullen, who enlisted as an Air Force air traffic controller on active duty in 1989, most recently served as operations chief enlisted manager at Volk Field and also filled a public affairs role. He says he has the utmost faith that Wisconsin Air Guard members will continue to serve at the same level as he has seen since joining the Wisconsin Guard in 1996.

"Without a doubt, it is one of the finest organizations I've been a part of," he said. "There is a tremendous amount of talent and ability across the state. Every Airman in every unit seems to exceed the standard."

Chisholm, of South Milwaukee, shares Cullen's sentiment on the state of the Wisconsin National Guard and - as an Airman who has served four decades in the organization - perhaps no one is more versed in the past and current state of the Wisconsin Air National Guard.

"We were pretty rough back when I joined," Chisholm said. "I think we're absolutely on par with [the best units in the force in] everything we're doing and how we perform our missions.

"Every single unit that we have, in my estimation, is looked at as one of the tops in their field," he continued. "I think we are the best and we are absolutely blessed to have the reputation that we have."

Chisholm, who plans to move to Arizona with his wife after he retires, ends his second tour as state command chief master sergeant, having served once before from 1998 to 2001. Chisholm spent much of his latest tour working with national-level organizations so he could bring a vaster wealth of knowledge back to Wisconsin, as well as spread word of the great work the Wisconsin Guard has accomplished to the rest of the nation.

Although Chisholm served as command chief in a traditional sense, he has helped convert the position to a full-time role in the Wisconsin Guard.

"You can see how it is evolving into a full-time position, just like the state command sergeant majors for the Army Guard are full-time," Chisholm said.

The full time position is something Chisholm saw other states utilizing and he quickly brought the advantageous idea to Wisconsin. This is the kind of leadership Wisconsin has become accustomed to under Chisholm, said Brig. Gen. John McCoy, commander of the Wisconsin Air National Guard.

"Chief Chisholm has been an outstanding mentor, leader and friend to the Wisconsin Air National Guard," McCoy said. "He will be missed as he transitions to his new life in Arizona."

SECDEF Statement on Under Secretary Flournoy

“Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Michèle Flournoy has today announced her intention to step down and return to private life.  In her discussions with me, Michèle made clear that her decision to leave is motivated by personal and family considerations.  I am very pleased that she has agreed to stay on until early next year to enable a smooth transition.

“Michèle has been an invaluable advisor to me during my six months as secretary of defense, and has been an outstanding departmental leader for nearly three years at a time of great consequence for our nation’s defense.  From guiding our strategy in Afghanistan and Iraq, to helping set the department’s priorities and global posture through the 2010 Quadrennial Defense Review as well as the strategy review that has been underway this year, Michèle has made a strong and lasting positive imprint on this department and on our nation’s security. 

“Michèle is a treasured colleague, and the entire Department of Defense will be sad to see her go, but she has built an incredible team that is a testament to her leadership.  I will personally miss her valued counsel, but I understand the stresses and strains that holding senior administration positions can have on families.  I look forward to having the opportunity to paying full tribute to Michèle and wish her and her family all the best in the next stage of their lives.  I’m confident that she will have many years of service in her future.”

Carter Takes Office as Deputy Defense Secretary

By Karen Parrish
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON – Ashton B. Carter was sworn in as deputy secretary of defense in a private Pentagon ceremony this morning.

The Senate unanimously confirmed Carter in his new position Sept. 23. He most recently served as undersecretary of defense for acquisition, technology and logistics, a job he assumed in April 2009.

Carter succeeds William J. Lynn III, who took office Feb. 12, 2009, and returns to private life.

Following Carter’s Senate confirmation, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta thanked senators for their “strong vote of confidence” in Carter.

“Ash has a steady hand, a keen intellect, and an effective management style that will help this department keep faith with our troops and protect our nation,” Panetta said. “He is already an essential part of my team as an outstanding undersecretary of defense, and I look forward to his continued guidance and leadership as he assumes his new responsibilities.”

Panetta said Lynn “served with distinction and was a tireless advocate for our men and women in uniform.”

“I wish Bill and his family all the best for the future,” the secretary added.

The deputy secretary of defense is delegated full power and authority to act for the secretary of defense and exercise the powers of the secretary on any matters for which the secretary is authorized to act.

Before filling the undersecretary position, Carter was chair of the International and Global Affairs faculty at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government and co-director with former Defense Secretary William J. Perry of the Preventive Defense Project, a research collaboration of Harvard and Stanford universities.

Carter served as a member of the Defense Science Board from 1991-1993 and 1997-2001, the Defense Policy Board from 1997-2001, and on the secretary of state’s International Security Advisory Board from 2006-2008.

In 2001-2002, he served on the National Academy of Sciences Committee on Science and Technology for Countering Terrorism and advised on the creation of the Department of Homeland Security.

Carter holds bachelor's degrees in physics and medieval history from Yale University and a doctorate in theoretical physics from Oxford University, where he was a Rhodes scholar.

A Farewell Message to the Defense Department

By William J. Lynn III
Deputy Secretary of Defense

WASHINGTON, Oct. 5, 2011 – As I depart the Pentagon after thirty-two months in office, I want you to know that serving as our nation’s 30th Deputy Secretary of Defense has been the greatest privilege of my life.

I am grateful for the strong leadership provided by President Obama, by Secretary Bob Gates, and now by Secretary Leon Panetta. I also want to thank my colleagues at DOD. There is no better team for these times, no stronger set of leaders for the challenges we face, no more dedicated group of people to work with in support of our troops.

Each day in this job, I have stood in awe of the young men and women who strap on body armor and go out on patrol, not knowing whether they will return to base safe. Each day, I have been humbled by the quiet determination of our military families and especially our wounded warriors, who have sacrificed so much. Each day, I have admired the dedication of our civil servants, who, a decade after 9/11, return every morning to a building once subject to brutal attack.

As I walk down the Pentagon steps a final time, I am confident our Department is well positioned to weather the institution challenges our fiscal environment presents. I wish you well in the months and years ahead as you continue to protect and defend our great nation.

Obama Praises Mullen, Welcomes Dempsey as Chairman

By Army Sgt. 1st Class Tyrone C. Marshall Jr.

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama today lauded Navy Adm. Mike Mullen during a hail and farewell ceremony here that featured the transfer of responsibilities as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from Mullen to Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey.

 “Mike, as you look back [at] your four consequential years as chairman and your four decades in uniform, [rest] assured our military is stronger and our nation more secure because of the service you have rendered,” Obama told Mullen at the event held at Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall in Virginia.

Obama highlighted the nation’s achievements during Mullen’s tenure.

“Today, we have renewed American leadership in the world,” the president said. “We’ve strengthened our alliances, including NATO. We’re leading again in Asia, and we forged a new treaty with Russia to reduce our nuclear arsenals.”

The president recognized Mullen for leading a new generation of service members brought forth by the events of 9/11.

“Today, we see the remarkable achievements of our 9/11 generation of service members,” Obama said. “They’ve given Iraqis a chance to determine their own future. They’ve pushed the Taliban out of their Afghan strongholds and finally put al-Qaida on the path to defeat.

“Meanwhile, our forces have responded to sudden crisis with compassion, as in Haiti, and with precision, as in Libya,” Obama added. “And it will be long remembered that our troops met these tests on Admiral Mullen’s watch and under his leadership.”

Obama observed that America is moving forward from a position of strength as Mullen retires and hands the chairmanship to Dempsey.

“Fewer of our sons and daughters are in harm’s way and more will come home,” the president said. “Our soldiers can look forward to shorter deployments, more time with their families and more time training for future missions.

“Put simply, despite the stresses and strains of a hard decade of war, the military that Admiral Mullen passes to General Dempsey today is the best that it has ever been,” the president added.

Obama talked about recent DOD policy changes, such as allowing women to serve aboard submarines and the repeal of the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy.

“Soon women will report for duty on our submarines and patriotic service members who are gay and lesbians no longer have to lie about who they are to serve the country that they love,” he said.

“History will record that the tipping point towards this progress came when the 17th chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff went before Congress and told the nation that it was the right thing to do,” Obama said.

With the change of responsibility, Obama said the mantle of leadership now passes to Dempsey, who the president hailed as one of the nation’s most respected and combat-tested generals.

“Marty, after a lifetime of service I thank you, Deanie, Chris, Megan and Caitlin for answering the call to serve once more,” Obama said to Dempsey and his family. “In this sense, today begins to complete the transition to our new military leadership team.”

Obama also spoke to some of the challenges the U.S. military faces during difficult fiscal times.

“We still have much to do,” the president said. “From bringing the rest of our troops home from Iraq this year, to transitioning to Afghan lead for their own security, from defeating al-Qaida, to our most solemn obligation -- taking care of forces, and their families, when they go to war and when they come home.”

The president, who pledged to maintain America’s national security, expressed gratitude for Mullen’s four decades of service.

“The United States of America and our armed forces will remain the greatest force for freedom and security that the world has ever known,” Obama said. “As we salute Mike Mullen as an exemplar of this spirit, we salute him for a life of patriotic service.

“Mike, thank you from a grateful nation,” the president said.

Mullen Offers Advice to Dempsey on Chairman Job

Admiral Mullen participated in the Vietnam War.  Check out the best Vietnam War books written by the heroes who fought there.

By Karen Parrish

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Sept. 30, 2011 – The job of chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is often misunderstood and more than a little confusing, Navy Adm. Mike Mullen said here today.

Mullen made his final public remarks as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff before an audience that included President Barack Obama, Vice President Joe Biden, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta, senior military officers and other distinguished officials.

They gathered at Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall, Va., for the ceremony marking Mullen’s retirement and change of responsibility to the new chairman, Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey.

The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is the nation’s senior military officer, charged with advising the president, defense secretary and Congress on military matters.

“I’ve always taken that responsibility very seriously, always considered that a low profile was best ... sort of like my hero, George Marshall,” the admiral said. Marshall, who died Oct. 16, 1959, was the Army chief of staff during World War II. Afterward, as the Cold War began, Marshall served as secretary of state and then defense secretary.

Though many people have asked him what advice he has offered to Dempsey, he has been reticent to answer, the admiral said.

“A big part of the job is discretion; it’s keeping private the counsel you give our nation’s top leaders,” he said. But, he added, his advice is “pretty simple.”

Mullen said Dempsey will be not just the president’s advisor, but also the personal representative of 2.2 million U.S. service members and their families.

“I told him he had a bully pulpit in this job and that he should use it to voice their needs and their concerns and their accomplishments,” the admiral said. “They won’t ask him for that help, but they will need it.”

Mullen said the service chiefs and combatant commanders he has led are “the best team of leaders with whom I have ever served,” Mullen said. “To the degree we are a truly joint force, it’s because of them and their selflessness.”

He said he advised Dempsey the president will listen to him.

“That’s the president’s way,” the admiral said. “He seeks counsel. He appreciates candor, except for certain delicate matters concerning the Chicago White Sox.”

Mullen said he had every opportunity to offer his views to the commander in chief.

“All of my advice has been heard,” he said. “A military man or woman can ask for nothing more of their civilian leaders, and they should expect nothing less.”

Mullen said he told his successor his biggest challenge will be Afghanistan, and “[seeing] this critical transition through to its completion, in making sure that the security gains we have made are not squandered by the scourge of corruption or the lack of good governance that still plagues the country.”

America’s strategy in Afghanistan is the right one, he said, and “we must keep executing it.”

“I urged Marty to remember the importance of Pakistan to all of this, to try and do a better job than I did with that vexing and yet vital relationship,” the admiral said. “I continue to believe that there is no solution in the region without Pakistan, and no stable future in the region without a partnership.”

Mullen said he also told Dempsey to compare the chairman’s job to running a marathon, not a sprint.

“Time is both his best friend and his worst enemy. I never seemed to have enough of it to do the things I wanted, and it’s hard to believe it’s over,” he said.

“Marty, you’re going to be great. You’re absolutely the right person for this job, a combat-proven leader. And with Deanie at your side, the two of you are the right team for these times. Deborah and I wish you both all the best,” Mullen said.

Mullen: America Can’t Lose Its Military Edge

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By Karen Parrish

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Sept. 30, 2011 – America can ill afford to lose its military superiority, Navy Adm. Mike Mullen said today, his last day as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Speaking to the audience gathered at Virginia’s Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall to watch him transfer the chairmanship to Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, Mullen said decisions made in the coming months will determine what kind of military the nation will have during the next 20 to 30 years.

The admiral noted the U.S. military forces have fought for a decade in Iraq and Afghanistan, and now face “looming threats” posed by Iran and North Korea, challenges in cyberspace and China’s growing military capabilities.

“We have become the best counterinsurgency force in the world, but we have done so at the expense of critical conventional capabilities we necessarily let lapse,” Mullen said. “We have become the most expeditionary force in our history, but in the process sacrificed some of the basics of garrison leadership and continuity that preserve the health of our all-volunteer force.”

Difficult budget decisions are ahead, the admiral acknowledged.

“Cuts in defense spending are fair game. We should do our part,” Mullen said. “But cut too deeply, and we will burn the very blanket of protection we have been charged to provide our fellow citizens. Cut too deeply now, and we will harm, perhaps irreparably, the industrial base from which we procure the materials of war.”

Mullen said as the senior military advisor to the president and the secretary of defense, he has been fortunate in those he has served.

Addressing Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta, he said, “Our time together has been short in days, but long on substance. I consider myself fortunate to have had this opportunity to … learn from you, as I did under Secretary [Robert M.] Gates – another extraordinary man I consider a good friend and a mentor.”

Mullen added, “Thank you for your leadership, sir, and for the trust you placed in me.”

The chairman then addressed the American public, as he has in scores of visits to colleges, town halls and other venues across the nation during his “Conversation With the Country” travels.

“The men and women of your armed forces are the best we have ever known,” Mullen said. “They believe in what they are doing. All I ask is that you continue to believe in them.”

He urged Americans to reach out to service members, veterans and their families -- “to wash over them in what I call this ‘sea of goodwill’ that I know exists in the country.”

War has changed America’s service members forever, but it has not changed their dreams, and their fellow citizens can help make those dreams come true, Mullen said.

“Hire them. Help them buy a home. Get them started on the path to an education,” he said. “Give them a chance. That’s all they want.”

America and its citizens are struggling amid a global economic downturn, he acknowledged, and the wars young men and women in uniform are fighting aren’t “exactly foremost on everyone’s minds.”

But they are foremost in the minds of service members in the fight, the admiral said.

“We talk about the resilience of our troops and their families as if it is something apart from the rest of society,” he said. “It isn’t, or at least it shouldn’t be.”

America’s troops learned to be brave and steadfast in their homes, schools and communities, the chairman said.

“Welcome them back to those places, not only with bands and bunting or yellow ribbons, but with the solemn recognition that they have done your bidding, they have represented you well, they have carried the best of you and of this country into battle,” he urged.

Those troops have done things and seen things and bear things in their souls that civilians cannot know, the chairman said.

“Help them through their trials, be tolerant of them and each other,” Mullen said. “Give them a chance, and together we will prove the greatness that is America.”