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Senate confirms Army secretary
USAGeren
Pete Geren
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate confirmed Pete Geren on Friday to be secretary of the Army, four months after his predecessor resigned amid outrage over conditions at Walter Reed Army Medical Center.
Geren, who served as an assistant to former Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld, has been serving as acting Army secretary since March.
Geren won confirmation as Democrats in Congress pushed for a troop withdrawal from Iraq and some Republicans defected from President Bush’s strategy in the war.
A report on the war released by the administration this week said the Iraqi government has achieved spotty military and political success. Bush has remained steadfast that the U.S. can succeed in Iraq.
Geren became acting Army secretary after Francis Harvey resigned amid reports of troops faced poor living conditions at Walter Reed and bureaucratic problems getting care and disability payments. Geren has testified and spoken several times about efforts to change conditions.
“Pete has played a critical role in working to improve the quality of support to our wounded service members and their families after the recent events at Walter Reed,” Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, said.
Geren served as a Democratic congressman from Texas 1989-1997 and was acting secretary of the Air Force.
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