WASHINGTON — Now entering his last months as the Army’s chief of staff, Gen. James C. McConville reflected on the rich history of the service and contributions of its Soldiers on the eve of the branch’s 248th birthday.
To pay tribute to the efforts of two fallen veterans, the Army announced Saturday that it will rename its new, Mobile Protected Fire Vehicle, the M10 Booker Combat Vehicle. One of next generation vehicles the Army plans to introduce in 2023, the M10 gives light maneuver forces the ability to move unrestricted on off-road terrain.
The designation honors Staff Sgt. Stevon Booker, a tank commander from the 64th Armor Regiment of the 3rd Infantry Division who was killed during Operation Iraqi Freedom, and Private Robert Booker (no relation) a Medal of Honor recipient and World War II veteran who died during the Battle of Tunisia.
“It ties together the ‘Greatest Generation’ with this generation,” McConville said during a meeting with reporters at the Pentagon Tuesday. “Every generation has its heroes.”
During the Thunder Run raid near Baghdad, Stevon Booker’s platoon encountered heavy enemy rounds. Booker returned fire and destroyed a hostile vehicle while rallying his fellow Soldiers. The 34-year-old staff sergeant, who posthumously received the Distinguished Service Cross in 2019, continued to engage the enemy until he suffered mortal wounds.
While moving through an open field in Tunisia on April 9, 1943, Robert Booke attacked enemies with his machine gun. After suffering bullet wounds, the 22-year-old Soldier took out an enemy machine gun and continued to battle even after suffering fatal injuries. His actions earned him the nation’s highest military honor a year later.
McConville, Secretary of the Army Christine E. Wormuth and Sgt. Maj. of the Army Michael A. Grinston celebrated Army’s birthday with a cake-cutting ceremony during a birthday celebration at the National Museum of the U.S. Army on Saturday, June 10. The event included performances by the U.S. Army band and the Golden Knights parachute team.
“Every day is a great day to serve in the [U.S.] Army because we serve with the world’s greatest Soldiers,” McConville said on Saturday. “And we’ve been serving with the world’s greatest Soldiers for 248 years. Today, we get to celebrate 248 years of protecting our great nation, at home and abroad.”
Grinston lauded the service for meeting its retention goals in each of the last four years, adding that the service has already reached its retention goals for 2023. Wormuth said that added recruiting measures including the Advanced Soldier Preparatory Course has helped increase productivity among the service’s recruiters. The program aids potential recruits in overcoming academic or physical challenges to meet the Army’s acceptance standards.
Grinston, who will retire in August, praised the efforts of Soldiers stationed in every country from those in the Middle East assisting the Ukrainian military to Soldiers training with partner nations in the Indo Pacific.
“We have not dropped any single mission that these Soldiers have been asked to do,” Grinston said on Saturday. “Every year, day in and day out, they work in Iraq, Syria, Kuwait, Korea, Africa and countries around the world. Every time they get a mission to go to Europe, southwest Florida, wildfires, hurricanes, tornadoes, floods or Sudan, … they do it for America.”
During the ceremony, McConville recognized one of his personal idols, retired Col. Paris Davis, a Vietnam veteran who received the Medal of Honor from President Biden in March.
“That was really special to me,” McConville said.
In the final years of his career, McConville has participated in events honoring the Army’s legacy of valor. On June 7, McConville travelled to France to commemorate D-Day invasion of Normandy and attend the funeral of an unidentified U.S. Soldier who died during World War I.
In June 2022, McConville honored World War II veteran William Kellerman with the Prisoner of War Medal, Purple Heart and Bronze Star.
This week the Army also commemorated the 75th anniversary of women’s integration into military service on Monday and the 50th anniversary of the all-volunteer force.
On June 12, 1948, Congress passed into law the Women’s Armed Services Integration act, allowing women to enlist and serve in the U.S. military. And in 1973, then-Secretary of Defense Melvin R. Laird announced that the U.S. armed forces would build its force with volunteers instead of through a military draft.
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