On his way out, Marines' Berger addresses Force Design critics, Afghanistan and what's next -...

With just days until he retires, Gen. David Berger, the Marine Corps commandant, has spent part of this week giving some of his last addresses to the public, industry and the Marines he has led for the past four years.

“I am expecting big things out of this group in front of me in the years ahead,” Berger told a crowd here on Tuesday, many in the audience active duty Marines. “And I will be your biggest, loudest fan from the sideline.”

Then, in a discussion with a small number of reporters today, Berger fielded questions on just about every relevant topic imaginable: What are his final thoughts on the criticisms from retired officers about Force Design 2030? What lessons did the Marine Corps learn from Afghanistan? What will he be doing on July 11, the first day in a long time that he’ll be a civilian again?