FORT LEAVENWORTH, Kan. (Jan. 31, 2009) - Col. Scott Thoele is the Combined Arms Center's new deputy to the commanding general for the Army National Guard.
Thoele, who has been selected for promotion to brigadier general, will serve part-time for 20 weeks or 139 days out of the year in his new position. He began Dec. 5. Although some aspects of his role will be determined by Fort Leavenworth and CAC Commanding General-appointee Maj. Gen. Robert L. Caslen Jr., his two major duties include providing National Guard input for Army doctrine and serving as a go-between for the Command and General Staff College and the Guard.
Thoele commanded the 33rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team of the Illinois Army National Guard during its deployment to Afghanistan in 2008 as part of Task Force Phoenix VIII. The unit's mission was to train and mentor Afghan National Army and Afghan National Police forces, according to an article from the Illinois National Guard. As a whole during its deployment, the 33rd IBCT was responsible for building 12 medical clinics and 15 schools, digging 135 wells, providing 2.7 million points of humanitarian assistance and 200 emergency tents for flood victims, repairing 14 cultural centers, and discovering and destroying 11.2 tons of poppy seeds. It was the largest deployment of Illinois National Guard Soldiers since World War II.
Thoele was originally commissioned as an Army officer in 1980 and served for three years active duty before serving in several Reserve component infantry and Special Forces units. In civilian life, Thoele is a banker and loan review officer in Quincy, Ill.
Thoele said each Center of Excellence within the Combined Arms Center has a National Guard liaison, totaling seven throughout CAC. With the importance of Army doctrine throughout the military, Thoele said having a National Guard voice in that doctrine is essential. One of his interests, for example, is in FM 3-28, "Civil Support Operations." Thoele said the Guard has a huge interest in civil support operations since supporting Hurricane Katrina victims within the United States. The Army's redesign of units into brigade combat teams is also of interest to the Guard.
"We want to mirror what the active Army is doing, and be involved so some of our concerns are heard," he said.
Thoele will also be involved at some level with the CGSC education of National Guard officers.
There are typically 30 Guard officers in the fall Intermediate Level Education class and 16 in the winter class at CGSC. Although there are no spots specifically reserved for them, Guard officers also attend the School of Advanced Military Studies.
Thoele said he'll work with Fort Leavenworth's new commanding general when he arrives to develop a better relationship with CAC.
"I don't want to just be a Guard officer looking at Guard issues," he said. "I want to help the entire Guard get better. I want to be a part of a team at Fort Leavenworth."
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