FORT LEAVENWORTH, Kansas (June 3, 2021) -- The sound of 15 volleys of cannon fire rang through Fort Leavenworth as Lt. Gen. James Rainey relinquished command of the Combined Arms Center and Fort Leavenworth to Lt. Gen. Theodore Martin in a ceremony May 28 at the Frontier Conference Center.
Rainey became the 24th commanding general of CAC and Fort Leavenworth on Dec. 16, 2019. While here, Rainey initiated a talent-based intermediate-level education course to help increase the number of officers who could receive a portion of the resident Command and General Staff Officer Course by 384; redesigned the Pre-Command Course with a focus on spouse curriculum; created “Project Athena,” which promotes personal and professional self-development; initiated a rewrite of FM 3-0, “Operations,” which will publish in 2022; enabled the Army to sustain professional military education during the COVID-19 pandemic and more.
“Through all these initiatives, (Rainey) showed how leader development is at the core of driving modernization and change that cut across all of our doctrine, organization, training and leader development processes,” said Gen. Paul Funk II, commanding general of Training and Doctrine Command. “In his free time, he has balanced being the senior commander at Fort Leavenworth and kept this great installation safe and secure throughout the pandemic, while establishing strong ties with community leaders to support Army families.
“Jim … thank you for leading the way to develop leaders and drive change. As you always say, ‘Good leaders can fix any problem in the Army,’ and I couldn’t agree with you more,” he said. “I’m confident we have the right leader to keep the Army running on time.”
Rainey said Fort Leavenworth was an awesome place to be.
“I tell people if you’re ever sitting around Leavenworth and you’re not feeling very good, you’re a little down and you’re not happy and you’re wondering whether it’s you? It’s you. … This place is awesome,” Rainey said. “If you can’t get excited about building leaders and driving change … there’s no place for you on this team.
“The country has got some problems, we’ve got some challenges in the Army, but we’re going to be OK. The reason we’re going to be OK is because of leadership. You’ve got to develop those leaders,” he said. “That’s what TRADOC is about. That’s what CAC is about. I know you’re all as excited about it as I am.”
Rainey’s next assignment is as the Army G3, deputy chief of staff in Washington, D.C.
Martin graduated from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, N.Y., in 1983 and commissioned as an armor officer.
His command assignments include C Company, 2nd Battalion, 64th Armor Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division, in Germany; 1st Squadron, 10th Cavalry Regiment, 4th Infantry Division at Fort Hood, Texas, and in Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom; 1st Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division at Fort Hood and in Iraq; commander, Operations Group at the National Training Center at Fort Irwin, Calif.; commandant and 45th chief of armor at the U.S. Army Armor School at Fort Benning, Ga.; the 73rd commandant of cadets at the U.S. Military Academy; commanding general of the National Training Center and Fort Irwin; and commanding general of the 2nd Infantry Division (Combined) in the Republic of Korea.
His most recent assignment was deputy commanding general and chief of staff for TRADOC in Fort Eustis, Va.,
“As Winston Churchill once said, ‘The price of greatness is responsibility,’” Funk said. “For doing such a great job at the TRADOC Headquarters, I’m pleased to give you the responsibilities of CAC and Fort Leavenworth. I know (you and your wife, Stephanie) will bring the same energy and focus on soldiers and families here at CAC as you have over the course of your other assignments.”
Martin said he looks forward to serving with the CAC and Fort Leavenworth team.
“My orders from General Funk are clear, concise and unambiguous: take care of our people, drive change and develop leaders,” Martin said. “I look forward to serving alongside you as we lead this great Army into the future. Hold on tight folks. Like any cavalryman worth his or her salt, I plan on spurring this horse as soon as I get in the saddle.”
For the full ceremony, visit the CAC Facebook page.
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