Pace becomes first Marine to hold nation's top military post

[Judi Lynn]

Posted 9/30/2005 1:00 PM

Pace becomes first Marine to hold nation's top military post
FORT MYER, Va. (AP) — Marine Corps Gen. Peter Pace was sworn in Friday as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, becoming the first Marine to hold the nation's highest military post.

Pace succeeded Air Force Gen. Richard B. Myers, who retired after 40 years of military service, including two years as vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs and four years as the chairman.
(snip)

Bush also praised Pace, saying he looked forward working with him. The Joint Chiefs chairman, by law, is the senior military adviser to the president and the secretary of defense. He commands no troops and is not in the formal chain of command, which extends from the president to the defense secretary to combatant commanders.

Pace, who was born in Brooklyn, N.Y., and raised in Teaneck, N.J., had served the past four years as vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs. He was the first Marine to hold that position and also is the first to be chairman.
(snip/)

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2005-09-30-pace-jointchiefs_x.htm

[paineinthearse]

1. He would have been second if Gen. Smedley Butler had been chosen

[TroubleMan]

7. IMHO, the greatest Marine ever.

Just edging out Chesty Puller.

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

10. Better than Johnny Basilone? Or Dan Daly?

Or do you mean greatest Marine General officer?

That I buy.

[TroubleMan]

11. Greatest ever because of three reasons, all after he was out:

1. "War Is A Racket" http://www.veteransforpeace.org/war_is_a_racket_033103.htm

2. He stopped a fascist coup against FDR, that was funded by business leaders: http://liberalslikechrist.org/about/FDRcoup.html

3. He was one of the original advocates of veterans' rights:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bonus_Army


He and Dan Daly were the only two Marines to get the Medal Of Honor, twice. No doubt that Dan Daly, Chesty Puller, and Johnny Basilone were some of the all-time greats. However, IMHO Smedley Butler was not only the greatest Marine ever, he was one of the greatest Americans ever.

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

13. I agree entirely. I was just asking

about some enlisted guys.

[northzax]

2. I didn't know that

the Chairman of the JCOS is not in the chain of command. interesting. Kind of a vestigal job, right?

[Benhurst]

3. If Bush likes him, he probably is

no good. :shrug:

[Benhurst]

5. The more I've seen of him, I think Bush may have made a

mistake. He may be a decent man.

Oh well, Dubya, we all make mistakes.

[TacticalPeek]

14. I agree - so far.

He seems not to have sold his soul, unlike many in that circle who let the stupidest people on the planet ruin our military services. Again.

[Uncle Joe]

4. Semper Fi General Pace n/t

[TroubleMan]

6. I've met General Pace, he's a good guy

or at least he was 10 years ago.

I didn't really know him because he was a General and I was a Lance Corporal and Corporal. However, he wasn't one of those stuck up Generals. He was a likeable guy. He's also extremely smart. I met him several times over a two or three year period.

I don't know his politics, but being career military, he probably doesn't let them show.

[BikeWriter]

8. Oh shit! Some of my Marine buddies tell me he's a real asshole.

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

9. Thank God. One of the biggest problems the Marine Corps

has had was lack of JCOS chairmanship. This is good news, even if he is an asshole, he is still a Marine who understands grunts.

Not to disrespect the USAF, but generally they are horrible JCOS chairs, mainly because so few understand what a grunt has to go through.

[greblc]

12. Dito...

A Marine will have a better understanding of the problems our Infantry troops are facing. Marines are Air Land an Sea. "Triple threat"

Semper Fi