USMC’s New Brigadier
Credit: Lance Cpl. Tyler Byther/United States Marine Corps.
This Marine gets his BG star, and the individual reporting it can only seem to address is the fact that he’s black.
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/04/us/politics/marine-corps-black-general.html
From the article: One story about Colonel Henderson from that time has already become the stuff of legend among the Marines who fought beside him in Garmsir.
They recall the time that Colonel Henderson, after losing radio contact, climbed to the top of a local house to look for his Marines, drew fire from the Taliban, and did a “combat roll” flip off the roof to avoid a rocket-propelled grenade, landing on his feet on the ground. That story electrified Marines fighting in Afghanistan at the time, and has been told and retold. – article
There are very likely many other such stories bout BG Henderson that we will never know, unless we happen to run into him or someone who served under him. I would love to hear more of his war stories. That makes him more interesting than some desk jockey like me.
But to focus on only one thing about him, instead of on his accomplishments is just plain lame reporting.
Category: Marines
You know what the color inside of him is? Black too, because light doesn’t hit it. It’s also a variety of reds, pinks and whites, like the rest of us, so.
Good Jerb General.
I don’t care *what* color you are.
I wish there was video of this “combat roll” flip off the roof so I can understand it.
Was it like this?
Congratulations to the Colonel on his selection. I am sure that this is a well deserved promotion to a Marine Ossifer that has done what Marine Ossifers are trained and paid to do…ie: Take care of their Troops and make sure that the fight is carried to the enemy, breaking things in general in the process. BZ!
Can’t help to be reminded of a blurb I read a number of year’s back. Might have been in The Bear’s “It Doesn’t Take A Hero” Autobiography, or maybe somewhere else. Anyway, a group of 30 newly selected Colonels were being given their initial greetings by a 2 Star at the C&GSC prior to attending the “Charm School for General Ossifers Course. His comment was something to the effect…”If the aircraft bringing you all here had of gone down, killing all aboard, we could have reached into the pool of qualified ossifers and found 30 more, just like you that are just as qualified as you are.”
Not sure what the Time in Grade Quals are for each Star, but you can prolly make book that this Marine will be fast tracked to 4 Star Rank…for reasons. Not saying that there is anything wrong with that, as long as it is for the right “reasons”.
If you think that there was a “tone” to the article (which I agree that there was), then make sure you check out the “tone” to the 300+ comments with the article.
Seems past articles she’s written on the topic carry the same tone:
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/25/us/politics/military-minorities-leadership.html
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/31/us/politics/marines-race-general.html
Speaking of Losing Generals,,, During the Civil War Lincoln received a report that A Confederate Cavalry Raid had over ran and Captured a Union Supply Depot,, taking every one prisoner Their were several wagon loads of supplies taken as well as 30 mules and two Brigadier Generals..
Lincoln Sighed and said,,, I shall miss the Mules… I can Promote 2 Generals tommorow but only God can make a Mule.
This guy checks off the “badass” block, his color has zero to do with it. If the good Colonel was passed over three times, I’d bet my paycheck it was most likely because his warrior mentality resulted in some salty, Non-PC language that we just cannot have in a flag officer and not his color. Excellent job, Sir!
Wasn’t there an article here a while back about him being passed over, for the third time. I think I recall some folks had told him he needed to be more politically minded and staff oriented and less go break something. Sounds like he may have been working on these things and his peers (General Officers) decided he can now be promoted.
As far as time in grade to next rank, for General Officers it all has to do with which “click” you join, which positions you get assigned and excel at. I have seen folks (like GEN Millie) from from one Star (2008), as the Deputy Commanding General for Operations of the 101st DIV to four star (2014) when he took over Forces Command (FORSCOM). Basically two years for each Command. Sometimes they get frocked to take a Command (DIV is 2 star, Corps 3 Star, Major Command 4 star). Others I have seen languish with one star for years. A lot has to do with Commands available at the time, and what your peers think of you. If you don’t listen to them, you can end up like David Grange Jr. and be fast tracked to four star, and be told you need to spend a year in the Pentagon before your Corps Command, you say, no and get forced to retire. No only do you not pin three stars, but they take another on retirement because you got frocked to two star when you took Division Command. Congress can also slow you down, so you have to play nice with certain politicians.
Congratulations to the new general.
I realize that a lot of “journalists” only see the world through a racial lens, but BG Henderson is hardly the first black general.
And his name is Camouflage!
https://youtu.be/ZFYxCIr-Byo
And Sabaton for fast mix.
https://youtu.be/eJkO4kHmOOs
“This Marine gets his BG star, and the individual reporting it can only seem to address is the fact that he’s black.”
It’s the NY Slime. Wadda ya expect?
And a hearty salute to the new BG. Let’s hope he didn’t get TOO inoculated with the PC bug.
It says a lot about that far-left liberal fish wrapper that the quoted paragraph is the last on in a lengthy article.
According to Wikipedia, the dude has a JD and instead of going into JAG, went into the combat arms. Not many that do that. Got a BSM w/ “V” and a NAVCOM with “V”.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthony_Henderson_(Marine)
The article briefly mentions that another Colonel, Ahmed Williams, the current commander of OCS, has also been selected for a star. Take a look at this guy’s photo. He does not look like the kind of guy you want to disappoint. If he wasn’t wearing eagles, you’d think that angry gaze was affixed to the saltiest of sergeant majors.
https://www.trngcmd.marines.mil/Leaders/Leaders-View/Article/1215625/colonel-ahmed-t-williamson/
Oh, he’s also black, because you know, that’s how the media judges these guys.
Ol’ Poe could care less about the new general’s skin pigment–he sounds like a solid warrior and looks like a badass. Reminds me of a company commander I carried a radio for in old Echo Company, 1st Airborne Battle Group, 327th Infantry, back in the early sixties, a guy by the name of Captain Major Strum (RIP) who retired as an LTC.
I always wondered if that first name, Major, hindered his career, bringing him undeserved mockery from his peers and superiors: Lieutenant Major Strum, Captain Major Strum, Major Major Strum and Colonel Major Strum, like a character in Catch 22.
I think the key to Henderson’s not being promoted previously may lie in the author’s remark about his outspokenness, a trait not coveted among his politicized superiors.
Poe does find this quote from the article to be typical “New York Slimes” sliming:
“The Pentagon, which for the first time has a Black secretary of defense, is facing a reckoning on race after the Jan. 6 breach of the Capitol laid bare the deep inroads that extremist groups have made into the American military, both active duty and retired: A number of the Capitol rioters with ties to extremist groups also have ties to military service. ”
Miz Cooper, the author, then goes on to cast doubt on her own bold contention with a link to another Slimes article entitled:
“In the Battle for the Capitol, Veterans Fought on Opposite Sides”
Poetrooper provided,
“The Pentagon, which for the first time has a Black secretary of defense, is facing a reckoning on race after the Jan. 6 breach of the Capitol laid bare the deep inroads that extremist groups have made into the American military, both active duty and retired: A number of the Capitol rioters with ties to extremist groups also have ties to military service.”
Deep inroads of extremist groups? Hum? Now I and probably you know, they are talking about white supremacists. And yes they have their members in the Armed Forces. However, in Vietnam, I heard lots of talk among troops promoting the Black Panthers, and many other pro-Black people and groups. Mostly in the rear but sometimes in the field.
Those younger than me who served in Iraq and Afghanistan have said they saw MS-13 graffiti and other gang affiliation signs.
But since Blacks and all non-whites can do no wrong, because, of course…white people, there is going to be a shakedown for anyone who ever did, said, or posted anything even remotely pro-white, or interpreted as such. Interpret is the keyword there.
If you’re Black or Brown and want to be proud of your heritage, that’s a GO at that station, and you’re on the fast track.
But, if you are white and proud of your Irish, Italian, or in my case Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina heritage, well that’s not just a NO-GO at your station, it means you are too white, not woke, and probably have extremist ties. There will be blood by PowerPoint until you are fixed.
There’s a new military coming boys and we’re not going to like it I fear.
“There’s a new military coming boys and we’re not going to like it I fear”
I fear it will be from a another country.
I am glad he is being promoted and believe from all I have read about him, he deserves it. I agree with those who believe his being passed over was not due to race, but his in the field, combat mentality, language, and possibly decorum. Putting it another way, he is about getting the job done without mincing words, being touchy-feely nor politically inclined.
However, in keeping with the current climate of politically biased reporting, this is the last line of his Wikipedia page. (Wikipedia has become as biased as the MSM.)
“The New York Times had previously reported that during the Trump administration, Henderson, who is African American, had been passed over for promotion thrice in favor of white men, despite a recommendation by Navy Secretary Richard V. Spencer.”
Take note of the opportunity to hammer on Trump, and pointing out he is “African American” instead of just an exceptionally qualified Colonel. Also, he was passed over in favor of white men. Because there are so many other colors to choose from I guess.
The Mil gossip page , second word in is black with capital (B) ,,so brave so woke.
Normally for 0-6s w/ no prior enlisted time, 30 yr TIS is the ceiling. So 2019 would have been end of the road for Col Henderson. HYT might be different for the Corps.
Poettrooper says there’s a new military coming…as a fellow Blue Ridge boy, I wonder where will they find recruits?
Congratulations to General Henderson. Outstanding. He is black, so what! He is a Marine, a badass and what sounds to be an excellent leader. His skin color is irrelevant. The Marine Corps had a General Officer whose skin color was dark way back in the dark days of 1979. I remember that because I was serving at the time. Figures a little Twinkle Toed Moron from the NYT wrote this.
While our chattering classes worry about skin color and wokeness levels, our enemies continue to prepare for war.