Under the provisions of Department of Defense 1348.33-M, the Secretary of Defense has awarded the Defense Superior Service Medal to General David Howell Petraeus, United States Army, for exceptionally superior service to the Department of Defense as Executive Assistant to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from 1997 to 1999. The distinctive accomplishments of General Petraeus reflect great credit upon himself, the United States Army, and the Department of Defense.