AUSTIN, Texas—The career of Maj. Gen. James K. “Red” Brown, was celebrated by past and present Texas Army National Guard leaders in a retirement ceremony on Aug. 17, 2019, at Camp Mabry.
The Adjutant General of Texas, Maj. Gen. Tracy R. Norris, presided over the ceremony for Maj. Gen. Brown, whose career as a Texas National Guard member included serving as commander of the 56th Brigade Combat Team, commanding general of the 36th Infantry Division, and Assistant Adjutant General - Army. Since 2015, he served as deputy commanding general - reserve component, Army National Guard for United States Army Forces Command, advising the commanding general on the activities of approximately 350,000 guard members nationwide.
Norris was the first of several speakers who portrayed Brown’s leadership as principled, fierce and caring.
“This gentleman you see before you will not back down,” Norris said. “He sets the standard for doing what’s right and not what is easy.”
Brown’s legacy was reflected in the audience, which included 29 general officers. Among them were Lt. Gen. Laura Richardson, commanding general, U.S. Army North, Joint Base San Antonio, and Lt. Gen. Jim Richardson, deputy commander, Army Futures Command, Austin.
“I see a lot of faces in the audience who have served with Red at all levels of his distinguished career,” Norris said. “Few people could pull such a highly decorated crowd, and many of us have been trained, mentored, chewed out, and advocated for by Red Brown.”
Command Sgt. Maj. John F. Sampa, the command sergeant major of the Army National Guard, who served as Brown’s right hand man under his command of the 36th Infantry Division, said Soldiers and units improved thanks to Brown’s dedication to high standards.
“He demanded excellence,” Sampa said. “He did everything professionally, with good order and discipline. I personally saw him, through his leadership and guidance, make units better, as well as make people better.”
Maj. Gen. Patrick Hamilton, commander of the 36th Infantry Division, asserted that Brown’s care for Soldiers comes from a genuine interest in who they are as people.
“One of the greatest traits that Red Brown has is that he cares about people,” Hamilton said. “He doesn’t just care about people because he wants to take care of them. He cares about people because he’s genuinely curious about them, how they are, what they do, how they live their lives, the capabilities they have, and the experiences they’ve had.”
Hamilton said many successful military leaders become quickly exhausted by a lot of interpersonal contact, but Brown breaks this mold in that he truly enjoys the interpersonal interactions.
“Red Brown gets energized by personal contact,” Hamilton said. “That’s a rare breed in the military.”
Brown brought the ceremony to a conclusion by expressing appreciation for his colleagues, his experiences, and his family, especially his wife Jane. He presented gifts to his family members, and presented a Model 1909 U.S. Army Colt revolver, made in 1913 to the Texas Military Forces Museum. He also presented the M-17 pistol--which he was able to purchase as a retiring general as a loan to the museum--with the intent that it be entrusted to future 36th Infantry Division commanders who wish to carry it.
Brown concluded his farewell by relating how George Washington resigned from military service. He said that after a night of celebration with his Soldiers, he left military service by addressing the Continental Congress. Brown quoted the conclusion of Washington’s address:
“Having now finished the work assigned to me, I retire from the great theatre of action; and bidding an affectionate farewell to this august body, under whose orders I have so long acted, I here offer my commission, and take any leave of all the employments of public office.”