Military Leaders Fighting War on Terrorism

Military Leaders Fighting Against Terrorism

Angela S.

Excelsior College 

This paper is about two military leaders that have shaped history through their leadership during war. This paper will describe the leadership of General Stanley McChrystal and General David Petraeus and how they have fought the same fight in different leadership styles. The terrorist networks in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation enduring Freedom brought many challenges to our military forces. Both of these leaders were Commanders of US and International forces in Afghanistan and have influenced and inspired soldiers throughout their military careers. This paper will review the leadership characteristics such as education in civilian and military, family history of military careers, and their careers outside the military that continue to lead and inspire, not only troops, but all leaders that require leadership to guide and mentor those that will follow and achieve success.

Former Commander of US and International forces in Afghanistan, both General Stanley McChrystal and General David Petraeus served in the United States Army. Military careers at West Point, both Generals experienced college differently and their personalities contributed to their careers after college. The military leadership styles within the Army for McChrystal and Petraeus were more different than the sun and the moon. Family history in the military guided both of these Generals but the route and mechanisms to achieve such success was brilliant and courageous during the Afghanistan War. Finally, the parallel of the expeditious exit from the Army, the end of their military careers, could be argued that their careers ended without honor.

General Stanley McChrystal was the fourth of six children of Mary Gardner Bright and Major General Herbert McChrystal. McChrystal's father was a two-star general who served in Germany during the U.S. occupation after World War II, and later at the Pentagon in Washington,...