Graham Campaign Press Release - Military Leaders Applaud the Military Record of Senator Graham

Alexandria, VA — Today, Graham 2016 released the following statements from military leaders discussing the strong military service of Senator Lindsey Graham:

General David Petraeus, U.S. Army (Retired):

"Lindsey Graham served nine times under my command in his capacity as an officer in the U.S. Air Force Reserve. This included three times in Iraq while I was commander there during the surge, three times in Afghanistan while I was commander during the surge there, and three additional stints in Afghanistan when I was the commander of U.S. Central Command (which oversaw both Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as the Middle East and Central Asia). Each deployment was generally a week or more in length.

"While in theater, Colonel Graham did not hang out at my headquarters or seek special treatment as a United States Senator; nor did he seek to publicize his service. (In fact, he did not even allow press to cover his recent retirement ceremony, which would have provided impressive bipartisan footage for his ongoing campaign.) Rather, he took on quiet assignments that were significant and important, that capitalized on his expertise as a lawyer and Judge Advocate General officer, and that typically required him to travel widely in each country. This encompassed work in areas such as the reform of Iraq's troubled detainee operations, included recommendations on the detainee review process that we ultimately established, and addressed a variety of other rule of law challenges we were seeking to confront in both Iraq and Afghanistan. His contributions on these matters were substantive and valuable.

"I am not aware of any other current Member of Congress who, while in office, spent remotely as much time deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan. Those of us who were privileged to serve with Colonel Graham remain grateful to him for the contributions he made to our nation while in uniform."

Special Presidential Envoy for the Global Coalition to Counter ISIL, General John R. Allen, U.S. Marine Corps (Retired):

"Colonel Graham served with distinction on several week-long deployments under my command in Afghanistan, and he was a true leader in every sense of the word. Colonel Graham made particular contributions to issues of rule of law and detainee operations in Afghanistan. His counsel on detention issues directly influenced my conversations with President Karzai to resolve tensions associated with that complex issue, and substantially helped me at a sensitive moment in the campaign."

Vice Admiral Bob Harward, U.S. Navy SEAL (Retired):

"As the Commander of JTF 435 for over two years, I was responsible for Rule of Law and detention operations in Afghanistan. Col. Graham was invaluable to my efforts. With his knowledge and experience, he provided hands-on leadership to both our US troops and our Afghan partners who worked so hard to develop all the components of a judicial system for the people of Afghanistan. He was critical to our mission of transforming detention operations to a valuable component of our Counter Insurgency program. He was individually responsible for aligning political aspirations, and concerns, of both the USG and GIROA senior leaders, to ensure all detainees in both Afghan and U.S. custody were treated in a just and humane manner, while participating in programs that contributed to their productivity in society at the end of the conflict, such as education and tradesman programs. In doing this he traveled throughout Afghanistan to support prisons and courts in every province in the country, placing himself at considerable risk.

"He provided great service to me, the Task Force, and the American people, in a honorable fashion, adding great value to the mission in many ways. Something we all take great pride in."

Lieutenant General Jack L. Rives, U.S. Air Force (Retired):

Formerly The Judge Advocate General, U.S. Air Force (2006-2010)

"Senator Graham served as an Air Force officer for 33 years. He served on active duty for six and a half years and then in the reserve components (Air National Guard or Air Force Reserves) until his retirement in June 2015. He never asked for special treatment after he became a member of Congress. I worked directly with him when he was a lieutenant colonel and a colonel. His promotions followed the very strict policy directives that are provided in legislation and Air Force procedures. Colonel Graham served with genuine distinction. I was proud to serve with him."

Major General Charles J. Dunlap, Jr., U.S. Air Force (Retired):

Former Deputy Judge Advocate General, U.S. Air Force (2006-2010)

"As a retired general officer, I have no public opinion about any candidate for elected office — that's for the voters to decide. However, allow me to say that although I was only with Colonel Graham on one very short day trip to Camp Bucca in Iraq among his many deployments, I can assure you that during that time he explicitly avoided ‘celebrity treatment.' When we were in Kuwait the day before flying into Iraq, he stayed in the same quarters as other officers of his grade, ate in the same dining faculty as everyone else, and even went to the gym on his own. From what I saw, most treated him as simply another colonel (and most at the base in Kuwait did not appear to be aware of his status as a senator).

"It was true that when we got to Camp Bucca, some of the folks were deferential to him, but when asked what he would like to do, he cut them off and pointed to me and said ‘You'll have to ask the general.' And that's the way it went, as I wanted, not him. I think we parted ways at Bucca — as I recall he went on to Baghdad and I went elsewhere in the AOR — but I was impressed by how studiously he maintained his military bearing as ‘Colonel Graham.'"

Use of Senator Graham's military rank, job titles, and photographs in uniform does not imply endorsement by the Department of the Air Force or the Department of Defense.