The general was right and his comments were well said.  I wouldn't add or subtract anything from his speech.

There is another model of a man who walked this earth and left us with a real model of servant leadership.  Jesus continues to be referenced by endless numbers of people.  Many have commented about the miracles he performed, his eloquently messages he gave, and so many other things that people are still trying to understand. 

One thing that he demonstrated was being a servant leader.  Almost at the end of his life on earth, he had a dinner with his closest friends, his buddies that would continue to share his words with the rest of the world.  He told them that in order to be a leader it required being a servant.  He could have simply said that and left it.  But he performed a service for these guys that would be done only by the lowest servant.  He got up from the table, wrapped a garment around his waist, and washed the feet of every man there.  That one act had an enormous impact on every man there that night.  The story is still impactful today and helps to illustrate servant leadership.

I agree that Leaders should listen, learn, and put the needs of others ahead of their own.  Somewhere along the way, really great leaders realize that the needs of others are so much more important than the needs of their own.  Somehow it helps ordinary men and women become extraordinary leaders, servant leaders of others. 

Veterans are extraordinary servant leaders because they choose to put the needs and the safety of a nation ahead of their own.