Photo: Obama Surrounded By Retired Military Leaders

In his first Oval Office signing ceremony, Obama was surrounded by retired senior military leaders. He described them as outstanding Americans who have defended the country — and its ideals. Before the ceremony, the President had met with the following Generals and Admirals:

GENERAL PAUL J. KERN, USA (RET.)
GENERAL DAVID M. MADDOX, USA (RET.)
LIEUTENANT GENERAL ROBERT G. GARD JR., USA (RET.)
VICE ADMIRAL LEE F. GUNN, USN (RET.)
LIEUTENANT GENERAL CLAUDIA J. KENNEDY, USA (RET.)
VICE ADMIRAL ALBERT H. KONETZNI JR., USN (RET.)
LIEUTENANT GENERAL CHARLES OTSTOTT, USA (RET.)
MAJOR GENERAL PAUL EATON, USA (RET.)
REAR ADMIRAL DON GUTER, USN (RET.)
REAR ADMIRAL JOHN D. HUTSON, USN (RET.)
MAJOR GENERAL WILLIAM L. NASH, USA (RET.)
BRIGADIER GENERAL DAVID M. BRAHMS, USMC (RET.)
BRIGADIER GENERAL JAMES P. CULLEN, USA (RET.)
BRIGADIER GENERAL JOHN H. JOHNS, USA (RET.)
BRIGADIER GENERAL RICHARD O’MEARA, USA (RET.)
BRIGADIER GENERAL MURRAY G. SAGSVEEN, USA (RET.)

Human Rights First joined forces with retired military leaders to ensure that U.S. interrogation policy complies with American laws, values, and interests. This group of retired admirals and generals believes it is critical to America’s security that the United States adhere to effective, lawful, and humane standards for interrogating all prisoners in U.S. custody. Some members of the group are pictured above, as President Obama signed executive orders directing the Central Intelligence Agency to shut what remains of its network of secret prisons, ordering the closing of the Guantanamo within a year, and requiring the agency to follow the same rules used by the military in interrogating terrorism suspects.