I simply will miss putting on the uniform

"I am sad to leave. It is not that I am sad to put down any of the things that I just talked about. I simply will miss putting on this uniform, going to work each day and trying to do the right thing for PFC Pace, wherever he or she may be serving. And I will miss being able to walk out and hug them and tell them I love them.

I asked the good Lord when I took over this responsibility to give me the wisdom to know what is right and the courage to do it. To the best of my ability, I've done that. I made a promise about 38 years ago to Guido Farinaro, Chubby Hale, Whitey Travers, Mike Witt, Little Joe Arnold, Freddie Williams, John Miller, that I would serve this country in whatever capacity I could for as long as I could, and try to do it in a way that would pay respect to the sacrifice that they made following Second Lieutenant Peter Pace in combat."

General Peter Pace, Former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, upon his retirement