Travels with the mild-mannered general

By Nick Childs BBC Pentagon correspondent

Myers is a man with a lot on his mind

Mild-mannered is a term that could have been invented for Richard B Myers, the chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, the most senior serving American military officer.

In public at least, in Pentagon news conferences, he is the low-key military foil to the more rumbustious US Defence Secretary, Donald Rumsfeld.

But there is obviously plenty of stern stuff to this four-star US Air Force general.

He has not just been nominated for, and accepted, a second term as the man at the head of the world's most powerful military machine for nothing.

I have just joined him on a week-long whistle-stop tour of troops and allies.

Mexican stopover

The trip was essentially to the Balkans, Hungary, and Poland.

But before that, there was a small detour to Mexico City as an official guest to celebrate Mexico's independence anniversary.

It was the second year in a row that General Myers had attended, a sure sign that the two sides are keen to improve what has historically been a rather difficult military relationship.

That one-night stopover meant a 15-hour overnight flight to Kosovo, no joke when the general's transport for this trip was a huge C-17 military transport aircraft.

Winged whale, silver bullet

The pale grey plane is suitably imposing and business-like.

Polish troops lack the Americans' experience

From the outside, it is faintly reminiscent of a huge mechanical whale with wings.

Likewise, travelling in its vast cargo bay is rather like being in the belly of such a beast, with pipes and wires festooning the interior walls. It is very noisy.

For most of the travelling party of two-dozen aides and other staff, there are a couple of rows of rudimentary airline seats and jump seats along each side of the aircraft.

But for General Myers, his wife Mary Jo, who accompanied him on the trip, and the senior staff, lashed to the cargo deck is a modified Airstream caravan.

It offers a little extra comfort and, crucially, soundproofing.

With its bare metal finish, the crew call it "the silver bullet".

Still, it looks a little incongruous.

Commitments

General Myers has a lot on his mind right now, with the stresses on the US military caused by continuing operations in Iraq.

And, on the flight over to Kosovo, General Myers agreed that this was prompting the Pentagon to look long and hard at its other commitments around the world, including the 4,000 Americans in the Balkans.

"They're all connected, and it's a finite force. It bears examining," he says.

But he and his aides also insist there is no question of a unilateral pull-out from what are Nato operations.

And part of the general's dilemma is illustrated not long after he lands in Kosovo.

At a brief news conference at the US Army's sprawling Camp Bondsteel, a local journalist observes that - whatever the Iraqis think of the US military presence - the people of Kosovo would like the Americans to stay for 100 years.

Troops' concerns

General Myers' visits to Kosovo and Bosnia are a swirl of motorcades, helicopter rides, mess hall meetings, and media events with never more than an hour or two in one location.

Childs joined Myers on a one-week European tour

Still, he gets to meet a lot of the troops and hear their concerns.

The soldiers in the Balkans are mainly National Guard and reservists, some of the 170,000 currently mobilised - a figure that is causing growing alarm back in the United States.

The general concedes that a key priority now must be to provide some more predictability on how long both active and reserve troops are kept on missions.

Still, he insists, the military is not overstretched.

"We constantly evaluate our ability to carry out our commitments around the world. And there is no question that we can continue to fulfil our obligations under our defence strategy, notwithstanding the fact that we are working really hard right now."

Seeking support

In between Kosovo and Bosnia is an overnight stop in Hungary, and then there is a final stop in Poland.

In both capitals there are ceremonial welcomes and serious talks with new-found friends.

It is no accident that General Myers is making these visits.

The US military is deeply grateful for the support and soldiers that both have provided in Iraq.

Hungary has sent 300 troops, Poland 2,500, and the Poles are leading a multinational division.

But as General Myers headed back on another 10-hour flight to Andrews Air Force Base, he may have reflected that there will be little relief for the US armed forces unless Washington can attract more support like that from other countries.