Latest southern Colorado news, weather and sports from FOX21 News

COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO. -- Gen. David Petraeus met and addressed wounded warriors Wednesday night at the Broadmoor Hotel.

Petraeus is now head of Central Command overseeing allied operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. But he is best known for being the commander of the war in Iraq during the troop surge.

Petraeus was the keynote speaker for the Home Front Cares appreciation dinner Wednesday night.

But it was what he did before the dinner that may have meant the most to the troops.

The Home Front Cares is a local group that helps military families during deployment.

"Nothing means more to our troops than knowing that the people back home value what they are doing out there in harm's way," said Petraeus.

But before the dinner Petraeus took time to meet with a handful of wounded soldiers.

"They've obviously done far more for our country than any country could ask of its young men and women," said the General.

It’s not everyday the frontline troops get to meet a four-star general and for these soldiers it was special.

"To be able to meet him and get to speak to him meant a lot to me," said Army Spc. Michael Alsop, Ret.

Alsop did tours in both Afghanistan and Iraq.

"I'm sure that I’ve done some missions under him,” said Alsop.

But Alsop was forced to medically retire from the Army after his Humvee was cut in two when it hit a roadside bomb in Iraq.

“It broke nearly 30 bones in my body, 13 vertebrae, my pelvis was shattered," said Alsop.

The visit between soldier and commander seemed to be uplifting for General Petraeus as well.

"It’s also great to hear how our country is taking care of them enabling them to go to college to rehabilitate and do everything possible to help them deal with the terrible injuries that they've sustained," Petraeus said.

Petraeus said there is no group in the entire country that takes better care of military families than The Home Front Cares.