[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 85 (Tuesday, June 9, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1354-E1355]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 TRIBUTE TO GENERAL DAVID D. McKIERNAN

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. IKE SKELTON

                              of missouri

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, June 9, 2009

  Mr. SKELTON. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 
accomplishments, dedication, public service and valor of General David 
D. McKiernan, U.S. Army, outgoing Commander of NATO's International 
Security Assistance Force (ISAF) and Commander U.S. Forces Afghanistan, 
who served our Nation with distinction during 37 years of faithful 
service. General McKiernan will retire from the Army on 1 August 2009, 
and we owe him our thanks and gratitude for his many efforts and years 
of service on behalf of our Nation.
  A native of Ft. McPherson, Georgia, General McKiernan entered the 
U.S. Army in 1972, after graduating from the College of William and 
Mary and receiving a ROTC commission from the U.S. Army. During the 
course of his career he served at every level from platoon leader to 
four star commander. The units he commanded included the 1st Battalion, 
35th Armor (Iron Knights), 1st Armored Division, 1st Brigade (Iron 
Horse) 1st Cavalry Division, 1st Calvary Division, and 3rd U.S. Army/
Combined Forces Land Component Command. He culminated his career 
serving as the theater commander--COMISAF/US Forces Afghanistan.
  This superb officer performed key leadership roles during many of the 
crises and operations of the past 15 years. He served as the Deputy 
Chief of Staff G-2/G-3 with the Allied Command Europe Rapid Reaction 
Corp) while forward deployed in Sarajevo, Bosnia-Herzegovina. From 
August 1998 until September 1999, he served as Deputy Chief of Staff, 
Operations, Headquarters, United States

[[Page E1355]]

Army, Europe and Seventh Army during a period of simultaneous 
operations in Bosnia, Albania, and Kosovo. General McKiernan 
subsequently became the Coalition Forces Land Component Commander for 
Central Command. In March 2003, General McKiernan commanded and led all 
coalition and U.S. conventional ground forces in the invasion of Iraq.
  As the capstone for an exceptional career of service to our country, 
General McKiernan distinguished himself from 3 June 2008 to 3 June 2009 
while serving as the Commander, International Security Assistance Force 
and Commander, U.S. Forces--Afghanistan. General McKiernan was 
instrumental in developing the partnerships and setting the conditions 
necessary for achieving mission success in Afghanistan. He revamped the 
campaign strategy. He worked to improve command and control in that war 
by reorganizing the ISAF headquarters staff to better execute that 
strategy and working to establish a new command--U.S. Forces 
Afghanistan, significantly improving coordination of counterinsurgency 
operations across Afghanistan.

  In the fall of 2008, General McKiernan articulated the need for a 
sizeable increase in U.S. forces in the strategically important 
southern region of Afghanistan to improve security and help safeguard 
national elections in August 2009. He was the first to recommend the 
need for a sizeable increase in civilian resources from the U.S. 
Government to bolster governance and development efforts.
  General McKiernan improved operations in Afghanistan, issuing new 
Counterinsurgency Guidance as the campaign shifted to efforts to 
protect the Afghan population, obtaining legal authorities to conduct 
counternarcotics interdiction, improving force protection measures, and 
issuing new guidance that cut down on non-combatant casualties. General 
McKiernan worked with the Ministry of Interior to develop the Afghan 
Public Protection Program, which could become a blueprint for 
developing bottom up governance in the districts and provinces 
throughout the country. He worked with the Afghan Government to support 
a highly successful 2008-2009 voter registration program with over 4.5 
million Afghans registering without major incident and prepared the 
plans to support a fair and credible election in August 2009. He 
received approval for his recommendation to accelerate the growth of 
the Afghan National Army to 134,000 by December 2011, and has started 
the planning effort to grow the Afghan National Security Forces up to 
400,000 in the years to come. He also was the architect behind the plan 
to bring in U.S. units in 2009 that can not only conduct a rigorous 
counter-insurgency campaign in the south, but can build the capacity of 
the Afghan Army and Police by training, partnering and mentoring with 
Afghan Army and Police units. General McKiernan personally 
reinvigorated the Tripartite Commission (TPC) process with Afghanistan, 
Pakistan, and ISAF, and conducted bilateral meetings to improve U.S. 
and Pakistan relations and to make the case that both countries face a 
mutual terrorist threat. It is certainly my hope that General 
McKiernan's initiatives build momentum going into the summer of 2009.
  General David D. McKiernan is a true American patriot. His 
leadership, keen intellect and performance throughout an intensive and 
demanding period of military history were instrumental in achieving 
success in mission after mission. He boldly led ``America's finest'' 
during combat operations in Desert Storm, the Balkans, the invasion of 
Iraq and finally in the harsh and difficult mountains and deserts of 
Afghanistan. I know his selfless performance of duty, courage under 
fire, exceptional integrity and quiet pursuit of excellence has 
inspired many American warriors who have served with him. I am sure he 
will be truly missed in Afghanistan by his troops, diplomatic 
colleagues, NATO and our Coalition partners, and the Government of 
Afghanistan. It gives me great pleasure today to recognize and salute a 
great American--General David McKiernan--before my colleagues. I wish 
General McKiernan and his lovely wife Carmen all the best that life has 
to offer as he concludes a most distinguished career in service to our 
country.

                          ____________________