The White House said on Tuesday that Gen. Stanley McChrystal, stripped of his command in Afghanistan by President Obama, will retain his four-star rank as he retires.

He intended to leave active duty, McChrystal informed the Army on Monday.

While the general has not held the four-star ranking long enough to automatically qualify to retain it in retirement, the president is taking steps to allow that to happen, White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs told reporters.

Gibbs told reporters at his daily briefing, "The president believes, and has talked with (Defense) Secretary (Robert) Gates about this, and we will do whatever is necessary to ensure that he, somebody who has served the country as ably as he has, can retire at a four-star level."

McChrystal, 55, who was promoted to four-star status last year, will earn about $149,700 per year before taxes when he leaves the military in a few months.

It has further been reported that McChrystal was dismissed as the top U. S. commander in Afghanistan last week after he and members of his staff made disparaging comments about members of the Obama administration in a Rolling Stone magazine article. (With Inputs from Agencies)