Photo By Spc. Elsi Delgado | Newly-promoted Maj. Xavier Deroanne, a 3rd Infantry Division future operations...... read more read more
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Xavier Deroanne, a Belgian Army capitaine-commandant assigned to the 3rd Infantry Division, was promoted to the rank of major during a ceremony on Fort Stewart, Georgia, Jan. 4, 2022. The event is an example of the continued partnership between the U.S. and Belgian Army.
Deroanne and his family moved from Bastogne, Belgium, in June 2021 to the U.S. as part of the Army’s Military Personnel Exchange Program, or MPEP.
“I am grateful to have the opportunity to work with the most powerful army in the world,” said Deroanne. “It is a great honor.”
The MPEP program is a two-year long program designed to strengthen the bonds of friendship, understanding and cooperation between countries and their respective military organizations.
The MPEP program allows foreign officers like Deroanne to serve in the U.S. and to experience the U.S. Army’s customs and courtesies, missions, and daily operations.
“He's a great infantry leader, trainer, and planner,” said French Brig. Gen. Jean-Pierre Fague, 3rd ID Deputy Commanding General for Readiness and Plans, who also serves with the division as part of the MPEP program. “I encourage all who come across him to just spend five minutes to get to see through his perspective.”
This unique promotion ceremony included Fague placing the new rank of major on Deroanne amongst flags of all three nations. The Belgian army rank of major is the equivalent of a senior, post-key developmental major in the U.S. Army. Fague spoke to the ceremony attendees about Deroanne’ s numerous contributions to the Marne Division as well as the value of learning from the wide-ranging experiences of others on staff.
As a future operations officer, division G3/G35 planner, Deroanne helps create plans and pathways to strengthen military forces.
“Xavier is a critical part of the G3 team and the wider division staff, '' said Col. Alexis “Pancho” Perez-Cruz, the 3rd ID' senior operations officer. “He not only provides unique and valuable insights based on his perspective as a European ally, but having already served as an operations officer, he brings another level of experience to the team that enables us all to better serve our brigades and battalions. He is a stellar example of both the Belgian army and a Dogface Soldier.”
Belgium is one of the most active U.S. allies in terms of force contributions to overseas operations. Belgium contributed to the Resolute Support Mission and deployed forces in support of the Defeat-ISIS coalition, enhanced Forward Presence, Baltic Air Policing, and the U.N. Mission in Mali.
Belgium is a key provider of humanitarian, reconstruction, and development assistance to Iraq and Syria, as well as many countries in Africa. As the host country of the EU and NATO headquarters, Belgium plays an important role in European and Transatlantic diplomacy.
As part of his job within the G3 section, Deroanne helps lead the division’s response to COVID-19 and maintains continued readiness safely despite the challenges the pandemic has brought.
Deroanne said that since arriving at Fort Stewart, his most interesting experience has been working with the division during a warfighter exercise, a major training exercise that provides complex scenarios with combat and battlefield effects, stimulating service members to respond, then work through the consequences of those decisions.
“His contributions to the recent warfighter exercise supporting V Corps helped us enable the newest Army corps headquarters to assume responsibilities in Europe,” said Perez-Cruz.
Deroanne said he has truly enjoyed his time within the division so far and that he and his family have found Coastal Georgia to be a welcoming community.
“It’s a great professional and familial opportunity,” said Deroanne. “Coming from Bastogne where the American Army is a legend, this has been an amazing learning experience and it’s also a great opportunity for my children's future.”
After two years with 3rd ID, Deroanne will return to Belgium and continue his service there.
“I feel very happy because the selection for promotion is difficult,” Deroanne said. “My files were analyzed by different generals and the Minister of Defense and the final decision for my promotion was made by the Belgian King, Philippe de Belgique.”
Following the promotion ceremony, Maj. Jefferson Kent, a G35 plans officer who works alongside Deroanne, gave a few comments about his time working with the Belgian officer.
“Deroanne is an inspiration, moving his family across the world, being one of our only Soldiers in a completely different uniform, tackling all those unique challenges while being a critical part of the team at work, and engaged father and husband,” said Kent. “The same determination he has for his family trickles down to how he approaches the team and his work. He reminds us of who we are fighting for and why we do it. It’s his character; he’s just a natural born leader.”
| Date Taken: | 01.04.2022 |
| Date Posted: | 01.05.2022 12:13 |
| Story ID: | 412476 |
| Location: | FORT STEWART, GA, US |
| Hometown: | BASTOGNE, WLX, BE |
| Web Views: | 132 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, The 3rd Infantry Division promotes Belgian Officer, celebrates continued partnership, by SPC Elsi Delgado, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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