serviceyears branch commands |caption allegiance awards battles rank article_title name
1965-2005 united states army 7th states army infantry division -lrb- united states -rrb- first united john m. riggs , u.s. army general united states of america distinguished flying cross vietnam war lieutenant general -lrb- retired as a major general -rrb- john m. riggs
 john m. riggs
john m. riggs

lieutenant general john m. riggs -lrb- born c. 1946 -rrb- united states army retired , is an american army general who was retired , apparently as a result of his contradiction of the u.s. government stance on troop strength needed to support the actions in afghanistan and iraq .
he had attained the rank of lieutenant general -lrb- three-star -rrb- , but was retired with the loss of one star , at the rank of major general -lrb- two-star -rrb- in 2005 .
according to the army , this was because of misuse of contractors -- though the infractions were deemed to be so minor that they were not put into his permanent record .
in 2006 , riggs , along with a number of other retired senior u.s. military officials -- lieutenant general gregory s. newbold -lrb- usmc -rrb- , major general paul eaton -lrb- u.s. army -rrb- , and general anthony zinni -lrb- usmc -rrb- -- called for the resignation of secretary of defense donald rumsfeld over his handling of the iraq war .
in an interview with npr 's michele norris , riggs said , `` i think he should step aside and let someone step in who can be more realistic . ''
riggs , is a native and 1964 graduate of caruthersville , missouri high school , enlisting in the u.s. army in 1965 .
commissioned a second lieutenant in 1969 , he graduated from the infantry officers candidate school at fort benning , georgia .
he served a combat tour in vietnam as a helicopter pilot .
riggs commanded at company , battalion , brigade , division , and army levels serving in vietnam , germany , korea , belgium and numerous assignments throughout the united states .
later assignments were as assistant division commander for the 3rd infantry division in germany ; deputy commanding general united states army aviation school , fort rucker , alabama ; assistant deputy chief of staff operations and plans , washington , dc ; and commanding general 7th infantry division , fort carson , colorado .
