A long-time 1st Infantry Division officer was ceremonially frocked to the rank of brigadier general during a Victory Honors Ceremony Dec. 3 at Fort Riley.
Brig. Gen. Ricky Gibbs has served with the Big Red One since July 2005, when he took command of the 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, which deployed in February 2007 as part of the Baghdad troop surge. When he returned to Fort Riley, Gibbs became the division's chief of staff, until June 2009, when he took over his current position of division deputy commanding general (maneuver) with the "Victory 5" command team. Army regulation allows officers selected for promotion to wear the rank of the next higher grade if they are performing the duties of that rank.
"It's a particularly great day for the Big Red One," said Maj. Gen. Vincent Brooks, commanding general of the 1st Infantry Division and Fort Riley. "Often, when an officer makes general, he's usually on his way out of the unit. We are absolutely blessed to have Ricky Gibbs -- an officer well known to Fort Riley and well known to this division, with years of service leading this division, now being promoted and staying."
Brooks added that Gibbs had proven himself as a leader both in combat and out, and had led Soldiers from a variety of positions.
'Ricky Gibbs is a gregarious, expressive, combat-seasoned operator, great commander and someone who could always be counted on to get the toughest jobs done every time," Brooks said. "This guy standing next to us has everything in a career that we would expect or desire in a general officer. Everything. He has extensive time in combat units from platoon to division. Combat experience from several different positions and grades of rank."
Gibbs credited his high school football coach and principal with starting him on the road to success.
"Coach P was not fancy," Gibbs said. "I heard him raise his voice a couple times and I think I only heard him cuss one time. He emphasized basics, standards, discipline and teamwork. I think we all know those are characteristics we share in the Army today."
Gibbs is a native of Austin, Texas. He was commissioned in 1982 from the University of Texas at Arlington. He is married to Nolly Gibbs, and the couple has two children.
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