[1]Gen. Stanley McChrystal, who was fired last week as the top US general in the stalemated Afghanistan war, told the Army on Monday that he will retire.
Army spokesman Col. Tom Collins said Gen. McChrystal, 55, notified the service of his plans. The general submitted formal retirement papers, but it is not clear when he will leave the service because the process usually take a few months. In announcing Gen. McChrystal’s ouster on Wednesday, US President Barack Obama praised his long Army career but said his intemperate remarks in a magazine article that appeared last week could not be abided. Gen. McChrystal apologised for the remarks in Rolling Stone magazine and flew to Washington last week to resign as commanding general of the war.
The Army has been McChrystal’s only career. Gen. McChrystal was promoted to the selective and coveted rank of four-star general in 2009. It is not clear whether he will be able to retain that rank in retirement. Under Army rules, generals need to serve three years as a four-star officer to retain that rank, with its prestige and retirement benefits. The secretary of the Army can allow officers with as little as two years of service to keep their retirement rank, Col. Collins said.
Three military and defence officials in Washington said Mr Obama may use his power as Commander-in-Chief to allow Gen. McChrystal to keep all four stars. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to discuss the personnel matter.
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