Army's #2 civilian leader visits Fort McPherson

By Paul D. Prince, U.S. Army Forces Command Public AffairsApril 12, 2010

Army's #2 civilian leader visits Fort McPherson
1 / 4 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Gen. Charles C. Campbell, U.S. Army Forces Command (FORSCOM) commanding general, welcomes Army Under Secretary Joseph W. Westphal to FORSCOM Headquarters here. The purpose of Westphal's visit was to gain an in-depth understanding of Army operations r... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Army's #2 civilian leader visits Fort McPherson
2 / 4 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Army Under Secretary Joseph W. Westphal begins his visit at Fort McPherson, Ga. with a tour of the U.S. Army Forces Command (FORSCOM) Headquarters lead by FORSCOM Commander Gen. Charles C. Campbell. The purpose of Westphal's visit was to gain an in-d... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Army's #2 civilian leader visits Fort McPherson
3 / 4 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Army Under Secretary Joseph W. Westphal greets Solders from U.S. Army Forces Command (FORSCOM), U.S. Army Reserve Command (USARC), U.S. Army Central Command (USARCENT) and First Army. Westphal later ate lunch with 8 Soldiers and, two from each headqu... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Army's #2 civilian leader visits Fort McPherson
4 / 4 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Army Under Secretary Joseph W. Westphal speaks with Sgt. Maj. Troy Falardeau, a Soldier assigned to U.S. Army Reserve Command (USARC), about his experience as a deployed public affairs Soldier during the lunch segment of the Army under secretary's of... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

FORT McPHERSON, Ga., (April 12, 2010) Aca,!" Army Under Secretary Dr. Joseph W. Westphal got a firsthand look at the four main headquarters here that facilitate force generation, sourcing, training, command and control of the majority of Active and Reserve component Soldiers Army-wide today.

Making his initial visit to U.S. Army Forces Command (FORSCOM), U.S. Army Reserve Command (USARC), U.S. Army Central (ARCENT) and First Army, the Army's second highest ranking civilian leader received in-depth briefings about current operations, said Lt. Col. Richard K. Bond, one of FORSCOM's action officers for Under Secretary's Westphal's visit.

The commanders of each of the headquarters-level elements (FORSCOM, USARC, ARCENT and First Army) briefed Dr. Westphal, who assumed his position Sept. 21, 2009 as the Army's 30th under secretary.

Following the morning briefings, Dr. Westphal joined eight Soldiers for lunch on post, two from each of the resident commands. Sgt. Maj. Troy Falardeau of USARC was one of the eight Soldiers at the luncheon. "It's a privelege to meet him," Falardeau said.

"It's the responsibility of all eight of us to let the under secretary know how our Soldiers are doing ... so that he will be best prepared to take care of us."

Dr. Westphal has had a distinguished career of service in both academia and government. Dr. Westphal served as Chancellor of the University of Maine System and Professor of Political Science at the University of Maine. He also served as the Provost, Senior Vice President for Research and Professor of Environmental Studies at The New School in New York City. He stepped down from this position to serve as a member of President ObamaAca,!a,,cs Transition Team for Defense matters in December 2008.

Dr. Westphal spent his first 12 years in academia as a faculty member of Oklahoma State University, where he worked as a Professor of Political Science, later becoming head of the Department. During his many years of public service, Dr. Westphal has lectured at numerous universities around the world and taught public policy as an Adjunct Professor at Georgetown University, while working in Washington D.C.

In addition to a distinguished academic career, Dr. Westphal has led a prestigious and varied career in public service as well. In 2001, he served as the Acting Secretary of the Army and earlier, he served as the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works from 1998 to 2001.

Dr. Westphal has had extensive experience working in the U.S. Congress and other departments within the executive branch. He served as the Senior Policy Advisor for Water Resources at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency during the Clinton Administration. He also worked in the U.S. Congress in various capacities, from directing a bi-partisan congressional caucus in the House and Senate, as a budget analyst and assistant to the Chairman of the U.S. House Committee on the Budget to working on MembersAca,!a,,c staff.

Earlier in his public service career, Dr. Westphal worked as a policy advisor to the Secretary in the Department of the Interior.