Canada's "Soldiers' Soldier" Resigns

Lt. General Rick Hillier is resigning. During Canada's deployment in Afghanistan, General Hillier has been the public face of the Canadian armed forces. At the close of 2007, I named General Hillier as one of my Heroes of the Year. (The co-Hero of the Year was General Petraeus.) Then I wrote (in part):

I met a Canadian veteran a few weeks back. Recently returned from Afghanistan, he told me of when he met General Hillier during one of the General's visits there. This veteran spoke from the heart, so highly of the General. As I listened I knew without doubt that there was such respect that this veteran would follow General Hillier anywhere. (here)

Read the rest here.

UPDATE: Just found a very cool column on the General:

Canadian Gen. Rick Hillier plays in a ball hockey game between troops and former pros in Kandahar, March 20, 2008. (James McCarten, Canadian Press)

"...As a tireless military advocate, he raised the profile of Canada's military, which endeared him to his troops and gave Canada an important card to play at the NATO table.

"The man's amazing," Alexander, a Canadian soldier, wrote on a video blog with CBC's The National in December 2007.

"He's incredibly popular with our soldiers because he stands up for us." Go here to read the rest of this one.

Brat