Petraeus praises vets, Purple Heart recipients - Army News | News from Afghanistan & Iraq - Army Times

Petraeus praises vets, Purple Heart recipients

NEW WINDSOR, N.Y. — Army Gen. David Petraeus paid tribute to more than 400 veterans — including 100 recipients of the Purple Heart — Friday in upstate New York, days after he was asked to add command of the U.S. war in Afghanistan.

The Army general picked by President Obama to replace Army Gen. Stanley McChrystal, the military’s top commander in Afghanistan, was the keynote speaker at the National Purple Heart Hall of Honor Tribute in New Windsor, Orange County.

He didn’t mention his current assignments, focusing instead on the sacrifice of the gathered veterans, especially those who earned the Purple Heart, an honor bestowed on those wounded or killed in combat.

“Today’s troopers stand on the shoulders of those who came before them and because of your service, they stand very tall indeed,” he said.

In an unscripted moment, he invited each of the 100 Purple Heart recipients and several Gold Star mothers, those who have lost children in combat, onstage to shake their hand and give them a commemorative coin.

Obama tapped Petraeus for the top job in Afghanistan on Wednesday after accepting McChrystal’s resignation. Petraeus currently oversees the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq as head of U.S. Central Command.

When he introduced Petraeus, friend and former classmate Alan Seidman handed him a bottle of water and said: “We want you healthy,” referring to an episode earlier this month when Petraeus briefly collapsed during Senate testimony, apparently from dehydration.

Petraeus joked that he was staying hydrated and healthy.