My interaction with Lt. Gen. Mark Milley (newly appointed Sec of Defense) in 2013.

You guys are telling me this man is going to be the next Sec of Defense? <br><br> Lt. Gen. Mark Milley, I met him at a USO event in S Kuwait in 2013. <br><br>At first I immediately noticed how different he was compared to the rest of command. The interaction I had with him will stay with me for quite some time and perhaps forever.<br><br> I was at a USO event in Camp Arifjan, Kuwait. I was an interpreter assigned to the USO at the time I met him. <br><br>The day he visited each of us had a chance to meet him, shake his hand and have a quick chat. I was the interpreter assigned at the time. I was the first to meet him. <br><br>At the time I introduced myself, he noticed I had a thick accent I assume, I told him my name is Majid from Iraq (where I’m originally from). He smiled and said, I like the interaction I’ve had with Iraqis. For a brief moment I thought that was it.<br><br>Minutes later, he kept glancing at me. At the time I was confused thinking he wanted to tell me something, I approached him.<br><br>He asked me, Majid, when Lt. Gen.l Milley visited Iraq a few years ago, he met with many Iraqis and said, I kept hearing some Iraqis say good luck, may God be with you when interaction ended with Iraqis. I asked, why and each time I was met with I hope the USA will be fine.<br><br>He asked me, Majid, does it mean something else when Iraqis say that? each time I met interaction I’ve had, I’ve had many Iraqis say good luck each time I met them.<br><br>I said, yes Lt. Gen.l Milley. We say that in Iraq to people we admire a great deal, for instance when it comes to men and women of faith, sheiks, Imams and in your case for a high-rank military commander such as yourself.<br><br>He smiled and said that was the interaction Lt Gen.l Milley had with Iraqis.<br><br>I’m Syrian American Lt. Gen.l Milley, I replied.<br><br>During that day each time I was in the same space as him, kept glancing at me smiling. I couldn’t believe the leader of the US Army interaction Lt. Gen.l Milley Lt. Gen.l Milley had with Iraqis (where I’m originally from). Even at such a high rank he took it upon himself to learn more about the people he had good interaction with. <br><br>I thought to myself, we couldn’t have been any more fortunate to have someone like him as Sec of Defense, I hope that’s the interaction Sec of Defense Sec of Defense will have with people and cultures each time such interaction presents itself.