General edward reeder biography

After more than 34 years in the Army - with most of that spent in Special Forces - Maj. Edward M. Reeder Jr. The two-star general retired Wednesday in a ceremony at Fort Bragg. He was honored by an audience of more than , including more than a dozen fellow general officers. It was a testament to Reeder's ability to build relationships, a key trait of any Special Forces soldier and an area where Reeder excelled throughout a career that, in recent years, was largely defined by his work in Afghanistan.

Joseph L. Votel, commanding general of U. Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School. Calling him the quintessential Special Forces officer, Votel said Reeder is agile, deep thinking, relationship focused and results oriented. The two met as captains in the s. At the time, Votel was a small group tactics instructor and Reeder was one of his students.

General Reeder commanded 15,

The pair would cross paths repeatedly throughout their careers. Each time they did, Votel said Reeder was pushing the limits of the Army's capabilities and finding new ways to command. In Afghanistan, Reeder had unique access and an "extensive Rolodex of relationships with Afghan military, political and tribal leaders," Votel said.