Tag Archives: vincent brooks

General Vincent Brooks to Command US Forces Korea

US Army General Vincent Brooks was recently nominated by Secretary of Defense Ash Carter to command US Forces-Korea:

U.S. Forces Korea “is part of U.S. Pacific Command, but is a major political military command, a place where we need our very best, and Vince is that, and also an officer with tremendous operational and managerial experience,” Carter said.

Carter said the Asia-Pacific is “the single most consequential region of the world for America’s future.”

More notable to most people was the simultaneous nomination of Gen Lori Robinson to lead NORTHCOM, which would make her the first woman to command a combatant command.

brooksGen Brooks’ nomination is notable mostly because Michael “Mikey” Weinstein previously demanded the General’s court-martial — not just once, but twice.

In 2007, Gen Brooks Read more

Resilience, Fitness makes Soldiers “Army Strong”

A recent tour of the new Fort Riley resiliency campus by BrigGen Rhonda Cornum, Army Comprehensive Soldier Fitness director, provided a forum for the Army to communicate the purpose of its ‘total fitness’ concepts.

Comprehensive Soldier Fitness has “five pillars:”  social, emotional, physical, spiritual and Family.

“I look at resiliency training as a preparation for life. The skills you learn, whether it is stress management or communication, those are skills that are equally useful whether you are dealing with the problem of a medical diagnose or losing your job,” Cornum said. “It’s beautiful and I think it’s probably No. 1.”…

“Our vision is people who are physically fit, emotionally strong and mentally tough, and it is a commitment to doing that, not just waiting in some reactive mode until somebody has a crisis or problem,” she said.  Read more

US Military Participates in Muslim Celebrations

An official Army press release notes that senior members of the American military participated in Islamic Iftars in Iraq, sharing meals that broke the Ramadan fast with Iraqi locals and military servicemembers.  Leaders described the meals as an opportunity to display unity, understanding, and respect for Islam:

LtCol Mark Olds, the planner for one of the Iftars on Basra, said the dinners were an opportunity for US forces to show their unity with Iraq.

“We wanted to show our understanding and respect of Muslim traditions and practices by hosting an Iftar dinner for our Iraqi partners Read more

Chaplain’s “Changing of the Stole” in Iraq

A “change of command” is a process in which a military unit publicly sees its leadership change from one person to another.  The 1st Infantry Division, or “Big Red One,” recently saw a “time honored tradition” in a similar ceremony when a new division Chaplain assumed his duties.

Chaplain (Lt. Col.) Timothy Mallard, division chaplain for the 1st Inf. Div., donned the stole, which bears the names of the head chaplains for the division since the Balkans.

The changing of the stole ceremony is based on the Old Testament Read more