Photo By Sharilyn Wells | Maj. Gen. David N. Blackledge receives the U.S. Army Civil Affairs & Psychological...... read more read more
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FORT BRAGG, N.C. — When Maj. Gen. David N. Blackledge accepted the colors of the U.S. Army Civil Affairs & Psychological Operations Command (Airborne) and became the all-Army Reserve command's top general, his subordinate units and soldiers gained a commander with over twenty years of Army civil affairs leadership experience.
Blackledge assumed his new position as the USACAPOC(A) Commanding General Sunday in a change of command ceremony here outside the U.S. Army Special Operations Command headquarters. Lt. Gen. Jack C. Stultz, chief of the U.S. Army Reserve, presided over the ceremony where Blackledge accepted the command from Maj. Gen. David A. Morris, who has led USACAPOC(A) since 2007.
"[Blackledge] is the right person to take the reigns from Dave Morris, and to take USACAPOC(A) to that next level and continue to grow the force," Stultz said during the ceremony. Under Blackledge's command, USACAPOC(A) will gain over 2,000 soldiers across the country over the next four years, Stultz said. The command currently includes about 12,000 Reserve soldiers spread across over 40 units.
"Our successes have resulted in an ever-increasing demand for our forces," Blackledge said. "Over the last eight years, this command has responded in an unprecedented fashion in support of the global war on terror."
During those eight years, Blackledge has commanded civil affairs units in Iraq as a colonel and twice as a brigadier general. In May 2005, Blackledge deployed for over a year as the top commander for all civil affairs forces in Iraq — about 1,000 soldiers in total.
Blackledge has gained credibility at the most senior levels, Stultz said, by working alongside senior military commanders and the Chief of Staff of the Army at the Department of the Army Headquarters in Washington, D.C. since November 2007 as the Assistant Deputy Chief of Staff for Mobilization and Reserve Affairs.
Blackledge is now the senior officer in charge of thousands of unique soldiers in high demand by overseas combatant commanders.
"No one does what you do," Morris told the soldiers at the ceremony. "Take pride in being a citizen-warrior. You bring skills that can't be found elsewhere."
"This fine command makes up less than 5 percent of the Army Reserve, but regularly accounts for over 20 percent of the Army Reserve deployments to combat zones," Morris said. "The average dwell time in USACAPOC(A) is 20 months between deployments." While this has placed tremendous stress on the force, Morris said the command's soldiers have continued to answer the nation's call.
"Many assume that USACAPOC(A) must have problems attracting and retaining soldiers," Morris said, "yet your retention rates meet or greatly exceed all goals."
"You have a good mission," he said. "And you execute it well."
Civil affairs soldiers work with civil authorities and civilian populations in military areas of operation, supporting government operations, emergency actions and humanitarian assistance. By combining cultural awareness and language training with their civilian educations and backgrounds, civil affairs soldiers help foster stability for foreign populations by developing economic, education and infrastructure projects.
Psychological operations soldiers also rely on cultural knowledge and language skills, in conjunction with mass communication methods, to persuade, change and influence the behavior of foreign audiences with truthful information. These unique soldiers use pamphlets, billboards, loudspeakers and radio stations to publicize the positive aspects of coalition operations, as well as deliver public service announcements, safety warnings and wanted ads to a foreign audience.
"Our civilian skills are what's key," Stultz said after the ceremony. USACAPOC(A)'s officer and enlisted ranks include lawyers, professors, doctors, police officers, and many other high-level civilian professionals who bring their expertise overseas to help win the hearts and minds of foreign populations.
"Never underestimate that sergeant or specialist standing next to you in a civil affairs uniform," Stultz said, repeating the advice he's given commanders overseas. "They're probably better-educated, and probably wealthier, than you are." Stultz said USACAPOC(A)'s soldiers do their job not because they have to, but because they want to.
Stultz also praised the commanders of USACAPOC(A)'s seven major subordinate units during the ceremony, particularly the four brigadier generals who lead USACAPOC(A)'s civil affairs commands.
"The brigadier generals that we currently have in the civil affairs community are some of the best and brightest," Stultz said. "They are the future." Stultz said that Blackledge, who was promoted to major general in 2007, is the right leader to command USACAPOC(A) now, while the CACOM commanders "grow and develop to be the future 2-stars," he said.
Blackledge, who has deployed to Haiti, Bosnia, Kuwait and twice to Iraq as a civil affairs officer, has been decorated with the Legion of Merit, five Bronze Star Medals and two Purple Hearts, among many other awards. He was also designated as a Distinguished Member of the Civil Affairs Corps by the Secretary of the Army. Upon graduating from the United States Military Academy in 1975, where he and Morris had been members of the same class, Blackledge was commissioned a field artillery officer. He transferred to civil affairs in 1988.
"My commitment to you is to do my very best to ensure you have the training, the equipment and the manning to accomplish your mission," Blackledge promised the 200 soldiers, most from the Fort Bragg Headquarters & Headquarters Company, at the close of his remarks. "Persuade, change and influence. To secure the victory."
| Date Taken: | 09.20.2009 |
| Date Posted: | 09.21.2009 23:22 |
| Story ID: | 39118 |
| Location: | FORT BRAGG, NC, US |
| Web Views: | 461 |
| Downloads: | 316 |
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