[Airbornelawyer]

Originally Posted by The Reaper

GENs Joulwan, McCaffrey and Clark didn't seem to be hurt too badly by it before him.

TR

Gorman - retired
Galvin - SACEUR
Woerner - retired
Thurman - retired (health reasons)
Joulwan - SACEUR
McCaffrey - retired (then Director of ONDCP)
Clark - SACEUR
Wilhelm - retired
Pace - Vice CJCS and now CJCS

Not counting GEN Thurman, who had already held a four-star command (TRADOC) and delayed his retirement to take the job in the run-up to the war in Panama, it seems like the pattern is every other CINC retires, with the one in between becoming SACEUR, until GEN Pace. Of course, this is probably just a coincidence.

Originally Posted by The Reaper

Didn't say I liked them, or that they were good.

I just said that their tours as CINCSO didn't hurt them any.

TR

Look at it this way: not counting Generals Galvin and Joulwan, being CINCSOUTH was generally a pre-retirement command (every CINCSOUTH before Gorman also retired from the post except for Andrew O'Meara, who became CINCUSAREUR). And with the end of the Cold War, as a military theater Southern Command wasn't considered as important as other theaters. So Pres. Clinton could reward Clark and McCaffrey with the job without stepping on too many toes (though as I recall Clark's promotion and posting ahead of a number of more senior officers did rub quite a few generals the wrong way). And then Clinton gives the job to a Marine. Twice.

So does any of this say anything about GEN Craddock's future? I honestly never heard of him when I was in the Army. He mainly held staff jobs during the time I was on active duty. He seems to have moved up rather rapidly, though. In mid-2002, he was a two star commanding the Big Red One. In August 2002, he gets a third star and a job as Rumsfeld's military assistant. Two years later, he gets a fourth star and SOUTHCOM. Where does he go next?