Jan. 31, 2012 Secretary of the Army John McHugh remarks - Vice Chief of Staff of the Army, General P

By U.S. ArmyFebruary 2, 2012

Thank you all.

I will tell you [that] I'm not surprised -- January 31st, forecast: sunny and 60-degrees. It's just another Chiarelli miracle [laughter]. Pretty simple formula, a formula that has guided a career for forty years of incredible achievement, amazing service and selfless sacrifice, and along the way, a miracle or two. Not a bad way to end it up in uniform with one more.

And man if there was ever an individual who deserved it, it's our Vice Chief of Staff [General] Pete Chiarelli. And I know all of you recognize that as well, and I want to add my words of appreciation to each and every one of you. You heard Secretary [of Defense] Panetta recount the long and distinguished list of individuals who have come here [today], I won't repeat those, but just to say to all of you -- thank you for caring, thank you for understanding the great man, and I might add the great team, that we gather to honor here today.

And it's there that I want to begin. We in the Army speak a great deal about family, the Army Family. And it's a family at two different levels really. One that's made up of Battle Buddies -- men and women in uniform that always have each other's back, the comfort of knowing that, no matter how tough times become, you have someone standing beside you. The Army Family, at its core of course is just that: men and women standing together, spouses, husbands and wives, sons and daughters. And no one rises to the level of achievement that Pete Chiarelli has without that family -- and, of course, his great partner that we've heard so much about, Beth, and the children that have been there as well, sacrificing in their own way: Peter and Aaron and Patrick, and their spouses and grandchildren. I want to say to Beth and to the Chiarelli children, we know the great contributions and sacrifices that you have made and we're in deep appreciation and awe of the time you've allowed us to enjoy your great leadership and enjoy this great man that you call dad and your husband. So, thank you and God bless you for that.

You know, I looked over the program and as I was seated and listening to Secretary Panetta speak, it dawned upon me, as speakers we have three Italians and two Irishmen. Now that's either the start of a really bad joke or a really good [Martin] Scorsese movie, I'm not sure which. But, having seen a few Scorsese movies, us German-Irish lads don't do so well so let's stick with the joke or two. [Laughter]

But, this is, though, a very serious and, frankly for me personally -- and I know I'm not alone in feeling this, a sad day for the United States Army, really for our Nation writ large -- our Soldiers and families, simply because we're gathering to say thank you, yes, but also farewell to one of our most forceful advocates and passionate leaders this Army's ever known, General Pete Chiarelli.

And, frankly, [in] saying goodbye to Pete, I'm reminded of why, as a Member of Congress, I never supported term limits. Because we have in this great man an example of someone who had much to give, and gave it for some forty years. And, as a civilian, I've always questioned how in the military we let an arbitrary calendar take such an amazing individual from our ranks. I recognize that it's part of the traditions, and that it's the way the system works, but I'd be less than honest if I said that I enjoy it or that in times such as these I don't resent it, because I do.

But if there is a plus side to Pete's departure, and you have to think long and hard to find that sliver of a silver lining, it's this: One-by-one we are purging the Pentagon of Red Sox fans [laughter and applause]. And for Chairman [of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General] Marty Dempsey, and the Chief [of Staff of the Army, General] Ray Odierno, and me, and Yankee fans everywhere, that's not such an entirely bad thing. But I want to make it clear, I'd let a thousand new Red Sox fans back into the Pentagon if we could keep Pete Chiarelli for one more hitch. [Applause]

You know, Winston Churchill once remarked that the essentials of leadership require, as he put it: "large principles, a good heart, high aims, (and) a firm faith." By that measure, really by any measure, Peter Chiarelli is and has been a great, great leader.

And, as you've heard here this morning, he's taken on some of the most complicated, most troubling problems facing our Army, its Soldiers and their Families. Suicide. Traumatic Brain Injury. PTS. The health of the force writ large -- both physical and mental. It's hard, truly, to find an issue of remote importance anywhere on the E-Ring where Pete Chiarelli isn't at the head of the table. And he has shown a limitless passion for our Soldiers, immeasurable support for their Families, and a tireless advocacy that has really, truly made a difference.

He's not only willing to take on difficult challenges, he's done it, as you heard the Chairman talk about it, in rather unprecedented ways. Let me give you just a few examples: he thought outside of the box in bringing the Army in partnership with the National Football League to conduct TBI research to try to better understand those terrible injuries and how we might both prevent and later treat them. He enlisted the efforts of the National Institute of Mental Health to work in a five-year partnership with the Army to try and better understand the complexities of suicide -- yes, for the betterment of the Army, but ultimately, hopefully for the betterment of all Americans and ultimately all of humanity. He's worked tirelessly, as you heard, against both legal precedent and legal roadblocks to establish the Army Homefront Fund to assist Wounded Warriors and their Families, and at the same time he's helped to ensure that the Army has been provided the resources and support necessary to take on these issues simply through his personal credibility and his hard work with our overseers and partners in Congress.

There's no question, no question at all, that Pete Chiarelli's departure as the Vice Chief of Staff is going to leave a void. And, while I too have great confidence in his successor, Lloyd Austin, I am simply awe-inspired by Pete Chiarelli's single-mindedness when it comes to caring for Soldiers. To put it very simply, we are a better Army -- a far, far better Army - because of Pete's selfless service and his sacrifice.

While Pete has been the face and the voice of so many emotionally-charged issues, I want to tell you too that anyone who saw him in Iraq, as you heard described, will tell you that he's not just soft of heart. He's been a fearless, tough, resolute commander -- respected and admired by all under his charge. Which, through most of his career, as many of you know, was with the First Cavalry Division.

Now, not long after the First Cavalry Division was authorized by the War Department, the Fort Bliss division adopted the distinctive bright-yellow Norman knight's shield with diagonal stripe and silhouette of a horse's head as its "shoulder sleeve." At the time, Gladys Fitch Dorcy, the official mother of the First Team and wife of Commander Colonel Ben Dorcy, remarked about the large patch that "we made it that way because it is worn by big men who do big things."

Pete has had a tremendous affinity and a great history with First Team. And he's lived up to that challenge. He has always been, as he is today, a big man - big in principles, big in heart, in aims, and in faith. And as you know, he has done incredibly big things -- things that have made this Army better for our Soldiers, safer and healthier for them and their Families, and better cared for.

Pete, Vice, we are so grateful sir for your service, inspired by your leadership, humbled by your commitment, and we wish you and Beth and the Chiarelli family Godspeed and many, many fun years ahead. Thank you.

Related Links:

Army vice chief retires after 40 years of service

VIDEO: Chiarelli's retirement ceremony

SLIDESHOW: Chiarelli's retirement ceremony

Secretary of the Army John McHugh