General David Petraeus said he is ending his military career with a "sense of great confidence," he said in remarks at a farewell ceremony Wednesday at Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall in Virginia.
"Indeed, I take my final pass and review in uniform with a sense of great confidence in our military and in our country. Despite the innumerable challenges that face our nation and our world, I believe in our citizens, our country, our system of government and above all our men and women in uniform," he said.
The former top U.S. commander in Iraq and Afghanistan retired after 37 years in the Army to become the director of the Central Intelligence Agency.
He begins his new position Sept. 6, taking over from Leon Panetta, who was tapped to take over as secretary of Defense.
