USARPAC honors Maj. Gen. McKeithen during retirement ceremony

By Sgt. 1st Class Monik PhanDecember 2, 2020

Maj. Gen. Timothy M. McKeithen, deputy commanding general-Army National Guard and his wife, Simone, pose for a photo during McKeithen’s retirement ceremony Dec. 1 held at Historic Palm Circle, Fort Shafter, Hawaii.  McKeithen served over 34 years of service in the U.S. Army.  (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Monik Phan)
1 / 6 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Maj. Gen. Timothy M. McKeithen, deputy commanding general-Army National Guard and his wife, Simone, pose for a photo during McKeithen’s retirement ceremony Dec. 1 held at Historic Palm Circle, Fort Shafter, Hawaii. McKeithen served over 34 years of service in the U.S. Army. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Monik Phan) (Photo Credit: Staff Sgt. Monik Phan) VIEW ORIGINAL
From left to right, Command Sgt. Maj. Scott A. Brzak, U.S. Army Pacific’s command sergeant major; Simone McKeithen, Maj. Gen. Timothy M. McKeithen’s, USARPAC deputy commanding general-Army National Guard; Maj. Gen. Timothy M. McKeithen; and Gen. Paul J. LaCamera, USARPAC commanding general poses for a photo at Maj. Dec. 1 at Historic Palm Circle, Fort Shafter, Hawaii.  McKeithen served over 34 years of service in the U.S. Army.  (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Monik Phan)
2 / 6 Show Caption + Hide Caption – From left to right, Command Sgt. Maj. Scott A. Brzak, U.S. Army Pacific’s command sergeant major; Simone McKeithen, Maj. Gen. Timothy M. McKeithen’s, USARPAC deputy commanding general-Army National Guard; Maj. Gen. Timothy M. McKeithen; and Gen. Paul J. LaCamera, USARPAC commanding general poses for a photo at Maj. Dec. 1 at Historic Palm Circle, Fort Shafter, Hawaii. McKeithen served over 34 years of service in the U.S. Army. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Monik Phan) (Photo Credit: Staff Sgt. Monik Phan) VIEW ORIGINAL
Maj. Gen. Timothy M. McKeithen, Deputy Commanding General-Army National Guard, speaks during his retirement ceremony Dec. 1 held at Historic Palm Circle, Fort Shafter, Hawaii. McKeithen assumed duties as USARPAC’s senior National Guard general from March 2018 to Dec. 2020. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Monik Phan)
3 / 6 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Maj. Gen. Timothy M. McKeithen, Deputy Commanding General-Army National Guard, speaks during his retirement ceremony Dec. 1 held at Historic Palm Circle, Fort Shafter, Hawaii. McKeithen assumed duties as USARPAC’s senior National Guard general from March 2018 to Dec. 2020. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Monik Phan) (Photo Credit: Staff Sgt. Monik Phan) VIEW ORIGINAL
Gen. Paul J. LaCamera, U.S. Army Pacific commanding general, speaks at Maj. Gen. Timothy M. McKeithen’s, deputy commanding general-Army National Guard, retirement ceremony Dec. 1 at Historic Palm Circle, Fort Shafter, Hawaii. McKeithen assumed duties as USARPAC’s senior National Guard general from March 2018 to Dec. 2020. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Monik Phan)
4 / 6 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Gen. Paul J. LaCamera, U.S. Army Pacific commanding general, speaks at Maj. Gen. Timothy M. McKeithen’s, deputy commanding general-Army National Guard, retirement ceremony Dec. 1 at Historic Palm Circle, Fort Shafter, Hawaii. McKeithen assumed duties as USARPAC’s senior National Guard general from March 2018 to Dec. 2020. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Monik Phan) (Photo Credit: Staff Sgt. Monik Phan) VIEW ORIGINAL
Gen. Paul J. LaCamera, U.S. Army Pacific commanding general, presents the distinguished service medal to Maj. Gen. Timothy M. McKeithen, deputy commanding general-Army National Guard, at his retirement ceremony Dec. 1 at Historic Palm Circle, Fort Shafter, Hawaii. McKeithen assumed duties as USARPAC’s senior National Guard general from March 2018 to Dec. 2020. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Monik Phan)
5 / 6 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Gen. Paul J. LaCamera, U.S. Army Pacific commanding general, presents the distinguished service medal to Maj. Gen. Timothy M. McKeithen, deputy commanding general-Army National Guard, at his retirement ceremony Dec. 1 at Historic Palm Circle, Fort Shafter, Hawaii. McKeithen assumed duties as USARPAC’s senior National Guard general from March 2018 to Dec. 2020. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Monik Phan) (Photo Credit: Staff Sgt. Monik Phan) VIEW ORIGINAL
Command Sgt. Maj. Scott A. Brzak, U.S. Army Pacific’s command sergeant major; holds the 2-Star flag for Maj. Gen. Timothy M. McKeithen, deputy commanding general-Army National Guard and his wife, Simone, to case the colors during McKeithen’s retirement ceremony Dec. 1 held at Historic Palm Circle, Fort Shafter, Hawaii.  McKeithen served over 34 years of service in the U.S. Army.  (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Monik Phan)
6 / 6 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Command Sgt. Maj. Scott A. Brzak, U.S. Army Pacific’s command sergeant major; holds the 2-Star flag for Maj. Gen. Timothy M. McKeithen, deputy commanding general-Army National Guard and his wife, Simone, to case the colors during McKeithen’s retirement ceremony Dec. 1 held at Historic Palm Circle, Fort Shafter, Hawaii. McKeithen served over 34 years of service in the U.S. Army. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Monik Phan) (Photo Credit: Staff Sgt. Monik Phan) VIEW ORIGINAL

Fort Shafter, Hawaii— U.S. Army Pacific Soldiers celebrated the service of Maj. Gen. Timothy M. McKeithen, USARPAC deputy commanding general and native of Eclectic, Alabama, Dec. 1 at Historic Palm Circle, Fort Shafter, Hawaii. USARPAC Commanding General, Gen. Paul J. LaCamera, praised McKeithen for his more than 34 years of service to the U.S. Army.

McKeithen assumed duties as USARPAC’s Deputy Commanding General-National Guard from March 2018 to Dec. 2020.

“Thank you for your presence today as we pause for a moment to reflect on the distinguished career of Major General McKeithen,” LaCamera said. “In honor of him and his family for their faithful service to our nation and we bid farewell as they close this chapter on their lives and open the next.”

“Gen. McKeithen’s professional career is highlighted by achievements and success, though I think he would agree his greatest success is a bit more personal: his family,” LaCamera added.

During the ceremony, McKeithen thanked leaders, peers, mentors, coaches, and counselors who helped shape and stood with him as he went up the ranks.

“I just want to acknowledge the very few people that help me get to where I am today, we deploy around the world away from our families. That’s what we sign up for to defend our country and I did that proudly,” McKeithen said.

McKeithen credits his military success to his upbringing in his hometown of Eclectic, Alabama, and by growing up in a small town with the values learned from the family he grew up with. “I’ve been blessed for my military career and it goes back to my upbringing,” McKeithen said.

A valued memory during his high school years was when he played football at Elmore County High School. He noted that his football coach instilled those values of winning in him and taught him to always play clean and question integrity.

McKeithen received his commission from the University of Alabama at Tuscaloosa in 1985 and is one of their distinguished military graduates. He went on to earn several master's degrees.

McKeithen is retiring from the Army to start a mentorship program for the younger generation, travel the world, run in countless of marathons and reconnect with family and friends.