Retired Army Gen. Martin Dempsey, former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, has been named an Honorary Knight of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire.



Queen Elizabeth II awarded the honorary knighthood to Dempsey for his commitment to defense cooperation between the United States and United Kingdom, according to a British Embassy Washington press release.



Dempsey also is credited with fostering trust and understanding between the U.K.'s Ministry of Defence and the Pentagon, with his leadership acting as "a driving force behind closer collaboration in all aspects of policy, operations and welfare," according to the release.



In 2013, Dempsey reconvened the Combined Chiefs of Staff Conference for the first time since World War II, according to the release. This conference brought both American and British senior military leaders together to discuss issues and strategy.



Dempsey, who retired in 2015, said in a statement that it was an honor to serve alongside British military personnel for the past 40 years.



"We 'few, we happy few,' are partners by necessity, but we are friends by choice," Dempsey said. "I accept this honor on behalf of those who have sacrificed so much for our two countries, and I thank Her Majesty the Queen for her steadfast support for those who continue to serve and their families."





Dempsey will receive the award’s insignia from British Ambassador Sir Kim Darroch later this year.

"For over 40 years, General Dempsey has been an exemplary ally and friend to the UK, and has made a positive and substantial impact on both sides of the Atlantic. The UK-US relationship is critical to much of the UK’s defence and security architecture, and General Dempsey has played a crucial role in maintaining the strong bonds between our two militaries," Darroch said in a statement.

As an honorary knight, Dempsey does not have the prefix 'sir' but can use the letters KBE after his name, according to British protocol. Follow @CharlsyPanzino

Charlsy Panzino covers the Guard and Reserve, training, technology, operations and features for Army Times and Air Force Times. Email her at cpanzino@militarytimes.com.