U.S. Leaders Attend Ceremony to Retire Iraq Mission Colors

Department of Defense Photo Essay

  • President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden, lower left, applaud as Army Gen. Lloyd J. Austin III, the last commander of U.S. Forces Iraq, arrives on Joint Base Andrews, Md., Dec. 20, 2011. Defense and military leaders attended a ceremony to retire the colors from the U.S. military mission in Iraq. DOD photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Tyrone C. Marshall Jr.
  • President Barack Obama applauds Army Gen. Lloyd J. Austin III, the last commander of U.S. Forces Iraq, as he arrives on Joint Base Andrews, Md., Dec. 20, 2011. Defense and military leaders attended a ceremony to retire the colors from the U.S. military mission in Iraq. DOD photo by D. Myles Cullen
  • Army Command Sgt. Maj. Joseph R. Allen carries the U.S. Forces Iraq colors back onto U.S. soil on Joint Base Andrews, Md., Dec. 20, 2011. U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Perry Aston
  • President Barack Obama greets the last troops assigned to U.S. Forces Iraq as they arrive on Joint Base Andrews, Md., Dec. 20, 2011. DOD photo U.S. Army by Sgt. 1st Class Tyrone C. Marshall Jr.
  • Army Gen. Lloyd J. Austin III, the last commander of U.S. Forces Iraq, left, salutes Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, during a ceremony to retire colors from the U.S. Iraq mission on Joint Base Andrews, Md., Dec. 20, 2011. DOD photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Tyrone C. Marshall Jr.
  • Army Gen. Lloyd J. Austin III salutes President Barack Obama during the playing of the national anthem as part of a ceremony to retire the colors from the U.S. military mission in Iraq on Joint Base Andrews, Md., Dec. 20, 2011. U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Perry Aston
  • From left, President Barack Obama, Vice President Joe Biden, Deputy Defense Secretary Ashton B. Carter, Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Army Gen. Lloyd J. Austin III, the last commander of U.S. Forces Iraq, attend a ceremony to retire colors from the U.S. Iraq mission on Joint Base Andrews, Md., Dec. 20, 2011. DOD photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Tyrone C. Marshall Jr.
  • From left, President Barack Obama, Vice President Joe Biden, Deputy Defense Secretary Ashton B. Carter, Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Army Gen. Lloyd J. Austin III, the last commander of U.S. Forces Iraq, salute as the national plays during a ceremony to retire colors from the U.S. Iraq mission on Joint Base Andrews, Md., Dec. 20, 2011. DOD photo by D. Myles Cullen
  • Army Gen. Lloyd J. Austin III salutes during the playing of the national anthem as part of a ceremony to retire the colors from the U.S. military mission in Iraq on Joint Base Andrews, Md., Dec. 20, 2011. U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Perry Aston
  • Deputy Defense Secretary Ashton B. Carter speaks during a ceremony to retire the colors of U.S. Forces Iraq on Joint Base Andrews, Md., Dec. 20, 2011. DOD photo by D. Myles Cullen
  • Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, speaks during a ceremony to retire colors from the U.S. Iraq mission on Joint Base Andrews, Md., Dec. 20, 2011. DOD photo by D. Myles Cullen
  • Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, speaks during a ceremony to retire colors from the U.S. Iraq mission on Joint Base Andrews, Md., Dec. 20, 2011. DOD photo by D. Myles Cullen
  • From left, President Barack Obama, Vice President Joe Biden and Deputy Defense Secretary Ashton B. Carter applaud as Army Gen. Lloyd J. Austin III, the last commander of U.S. Forces Iraq, steps to the podium on Joint Base Andrews, Md., Dec. 20, 2011. DOD photo by Glenn Fawcett
  • Army Gen. Lloyd J. Austin III, the last commander of U.S. Forces Iraq, speaks during a ceremony to retire colors of the U.S. Iraq mission on Joint Base Andrews, Md., Dec. 20, 2011. U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Perry Aston