(U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Angela Holtby) VIEW ORIGINAL
FORT HOOD, Texas – The III Armored Corps and Fort Hood held a promotion ceremony in honor of Col. Matthew W. Brown, the chief of staff of III Armored Corps on Tuesday to the rank of brigadier general.
Lt. Gen. Robert “Pat” White, commanding general of III Armored Corps and Fort Hood, presided over the ceremony, promoting Brown to his one-star rank with his family, friends and fellow Soldiers in attendance.
During Brown’s promotion ceremony, White praised Brown and expressed that this is a well-earned promotion for an exceptional leader.
“Brown is one of those officers that I knew was going to rise to the top,” White said. “He does things with precision, professionalism and pride. He is a leader that our nation can trust to lead our men and women into battle and bring them home safely.”
Following the publishing of the promotion orders, Brown’s wife Heike of 20 years, daughter Marlena, his twin brother Eric, and nephew Gideon removed his colonel epulets and replaced them with gold epaulets and the brigadier general star.
Brown’s previous senior enlisted advisors, Command Sgt. Maj. Matthew E. Ladd and retired Command Sgt. Maj. Kevin Degrassa, presented the traditional ceremonial general officer’s pistol belt and general officer’s pistol to Brown.
Brig. Gen. Brown, his wife and daughter uncased the one-star brigadier general officer flag. PFC Dusty Laird, from Alpha Battery 3rd Battalion, 16th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division presented Brown with his first 11-gun salute as a general officer.
After pinning on his new star, Brown thanked his family, friends and Soldiers in attendance for their support.
“Trust is the bedrock of our Army profession,” Brown said. “With this opportunity for continued service, my obligation, my purpose, is to protect and foster that trust and to earn the personal trust of those within my privilege to serve.”
Brown’s next assignment will be the deputy commander, 3rd (United Kingdom) Division, United Kingdom.
Brown commissioned as an Infantry Officer in 1997 following graduation from the United States Military Academy. Prior to his arrival to Fort Hood, Brown commanded the 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division at Fort Wainwright, Alaska.
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