Change of command at Benning’s Maneuver Center
Country Singer writes to remind us that, probably one of the most famous commanders of Desert Storm, (now) Major General Herbert Raymond McMasters has assumed command of the Maneuver Center of Excellence at Fort Benning, GA. He was also promoted to his second star. MG McMaster commanded “Eagle Troop” of the 2d Armored Cavalry Regiment at the Battle of 73 Easting (Objective Norfolk). In my opinion, for whatever that’s worth, there is probably no one more suited to the job as MG McMaster.
COB6 and I had the pleasure of passing through then-CPT McMaster’s unit at oh-dark-thirty on the morning following his troops’ engagement with the enemy and witnessed up-close the destruction they had wrought on the Iraqis there. If I’m not mistaken, we rounded up over eighty thoroughly demoralized prisoners that day who surrendered to a sniper and some mechanics who were fixing our CO’s Bradley which had thrown a track in the middle of the carnage.
Yeah, I don’t have many officers who are my personal heroes, but HR McMasters is one of two – the other being COB6.
Category: Real Soldiers
That’s the same H. R. McMaster who wrote Dereliction of Duty. He’s a damn fine scholar and author, too.
I’ve been in awe of everything I’ve read, authored by McMasters.
Speaking of Fort Benning, my old unit recently left to the Stan. I think that this would be the first deployment there.
Glad to see my former history P get his second star, setting him up for a Division command. I know people were worried when he got passed over for O-7 on his first look that he had somehow offended Big Army and was being swept under the rug.
The parochial part of me cringes that a Cav/Armor guy is in the big house at Ft. Benning.
The intellectual part of me (a very small part, to be sure!) says this is probably the best choice. I’m looking forward to a time of innovation and close cooperation between Armor and Infantry.
Wow. That could be the greatest compliment of my life, for alot of reasons. Thank you Jonn.
It was a great ceremony. As one of MG McMaster’s scout platoon leaders I’m proud to call him a mentor and friend. Besides the 73 Easting, the COL McMaster led the 3d ACR in pacifying Tal Afar in the fall of 2005. A warrior and scholar, HR is also one of the greatest and most humble person you would ever want to sit down and have several beers with.
The weather was perfect and the ceremony was awesome. Last night close to 100 classmates, friends, and fellow soldiers gathered to celebrate. Interesting side note, HR took command from MG(P) Robert Brown (another great leader) who is heading to command I Corps and FT Lewis. COL’s Brown and McMaster shared the battle space in MND North in 2005 and the Regiment RIP/TOA’d with my squadron 2-14 CAV, who had spent the previous 7 months trying to pacify Tal Afar.
Well, some things never change and while not as famous as the Al Anbar Awakening his deft application of the saber and negotiation brought the AQ to their knees and turned the citizens against them.
And yeah… everything that has been written about his leadership at the 73 Easting is ground truth. He is the real deal.
IIRC, it was GEN Petraeus’s personal intervention in the BG promotion board that got McMaster his first star. He’d well earned it, and that pissed off the brass extremely badly.
Lesson learned: never demonstrate intelligence or competence in the Army without a Really Big Dog in your corner.
Dave O,
Very true. HR was a three time BZ select and the powers that be at the time I believe felt threatened by his intellect and candor. My personal opinion is that delaying his promotion to BG was a personally motivated attack to take him down a notch. It was a grave disservice to the Army and reflected very badly on the GO’s who were involved.
So McMasters is clearly a stud; what is so special about COB6?
He knows how to take a compliment.
Has to be more to that story? Jonn is anything but a bullshitter; to say that about someone needs more info. That’s pretty rare company COB6 has landed in.
Well, in regards to COB6; he disregarded his commander’s orders and charged into a burning Bradley and dragged two wounded soldiers out and then shielded them from secondary explosions with his own body. And, as far as I know, he was never awarded anything for his actions that night, nor has he asked for recognition, which is why I give it at every opportunity.
There are other tales I could tell, one from the night we passed through 2 ACR at 73 Easting when he saved his platoon from our idiot company commander.
Excellent read on the battle. Thanks for the link. 🙂
DaveO: Pete Geren actually sent GEN Petraeus to the BG promotion board to promote H.R. Geren saw H.R.’s value to the Army after reading his book(s) and good people continue to watch over H.R. BTW: Great party at Houlihans the night before COC!
Reading comments 1-15 above, I’m in agreement with all of your positives about MG McMaster… you’ve showed me he’s even better than the good I already believed of him.
Both in Army and in the civilian realm we need more leaders-from-the-front like HR!
The real deal.