My Coins - From a Four-Star

Here is the grand daddy of all coins! This sucker is huge! It is about the diameter of a hockey puck, but only about 1/4 inch thick. It is as heavy as it looks. General Lloyd Austin III presented this coin to me on my last Saturday in Iraq. I remarked that it is not every day you get your behind kissed by a four-star General. There was a formal ceremony in which myself and nine others recieved coins from General Austin. The front of the coin has the USF-I shield in the center. The image in the center of the shield is slightly raised, giving the coin a 3-D effect. Around the outside of the coin are the words "PRESENTED BY THE COMMANDING GENERAL FOR EXCELLENCE" and in red background with white stars at the bottom are the four stars of the rank of GENERAL. This rank is the highest rank that an individual can obtain in the U.S. Army. There is a such rank as General of the Army, which is signified by five stars, however that rank has not been used since the Vietnam War. General Austin is the Commander of all U.S. forces in Iraq. The back of the coin also has a 3-D effect. Around the top are the words "BUILD" "STRENGTHEN" and "PARTNER" in both English and Arabic. The American and Iraqi flags are at the bottom of the words, which are written in a semi-circle. The words "OPERATION NEW DAWN" appear in the center, along with a map of Iraq, palm trees, and a sun rise scene.

I cannot say that this coin holds any special sentimental significance for me. It is still special in that it is the first coin I have ever recieved from such a high-ranking officer. I often joke that I've got a galaxy's worth of coins because I now have two coins from Major Generals and a coin from a General, comprising eight stars worth of coins from General Officers.