The Marine Corps' loss was the Olympics' gain when Lt. Gen. Wallace "Chip" Gregson, recently retired commander of U.S. Marine Forces, Pacific, was named chief operating officer to the U.S. Olympic Committee.

Beginning Sept. 1, Gregson will report directly to the Olympic Committee's chief executive officer, Jim Scherr, and will oversee finance, human resources, information technology, Olympic training center operations and security.

"Chip's considerable experience working with leaders of government and business throughout Asia and the Pacific Rim will be especially valuable as we prepare for the Beijing Games," Scherr said in a statement released by the Olympic Committee.

Gregson, 59, relinquished command of U.S. Marine Forces, Pacific — with headquarters at Camp H.M. Smith — to Maj. Gen. John F. Goodman on Aug. 3. He had commanded the force's 70,000 U.S. military personnel at bases in the Pacific, Asia, the Middle East, Afghanistan and Djibouti, since 2003.

Before moving to Camp Smith, he served as the commanding general, III Marine Expeditionary Force in Okinawa, Japan.

Gregson's Marine Corps career spanned 37 years.

Gregson, who is on vacation, could not be reached for comment. In the Olympic Committee statement he said he was pleased with the opportunity.