Black military leaders uphold a proud tradition of service

By Merdies Hayes
Contributing Writer

(Special to the NNPA from Our Weekly) – As the nation pauses this Veteran’s Day to honor past and present members of our fighting forces, a brief review of the long list of African-American men and women in the military reveals faith in country, courage within and outside of battle, and above all personal strength and spiritual conviction.

The list of these Black military leaders has not always been a staple of high school history courses, yet the following individuals past and present have been an inspiration to Black America for more than a century. Famous names like Lt. Henry O. Flipper, the first Black man to graduate from West Point Military Academy (1877); Lt. Col. Charles Young, a military strategist and one of the original “Buffalo Soldiers” of the 10th Cavalry, as well as a close friend of President Theodore Roosevelt and in later years became America’s highest-ranking Black soldier; Gen. Benjamin O. Davis Sr., the nation’s first Black general; his son, Gen. Benjamin O. Davis Jr., commander of the Tuskegee Airmen, and Doris “Dorie” Miller, Pearl Harbor hero and the first Black person to receive the Navy Cross, are but a few of the famous African Americans who earned national acclaim for military service. Sometimes it was a contingent of African Americans that changed the course of battle, such as the famous exploits of the all-Black 24th Combat Infantry in Korea.

When this combat unit crossed the Han River near Seoul in 1951, Gen. Matthew B. Ridgeway commented to the press: “… [this] was the most successful single action fought by troops under my command during either World War II in Europe or in Korea.” The 24th Infantry was the last segregated unit in the United States Army.

That’s the old days.

When the world watched the 1991 invasion of Iraq, the appearance of then National Security Advisor Gen. Colin Powell placed his image in the pantheon among some of the great names in African-American history. And, the list keeps growing. Here’s a brief look at some of the most illustrious names who continue to change the face of the American military:

Gen. Dennis L. Via. A four-star United States Army general, Via in 2012 became the 18th Commander of the United States Army Material Command. He began his career with the 35th Signal Brigade, XVIII Airborne Corp. at Fort Bragg, N.C. Among his command assignments are the 82nd Signal Battalion, 82nd Airborne Division, the United States Army Europe and 7th Army in Mannheim, Germany, and the 3rd Signal Brigade, III Armored Corp. based at Fort Hood, Texas.

Adm. Cecil D. Haney. As commander of the United States Strategic Command, Adm. Haney is the former commander of the United States Pacific Fleet. Among his decorations are the Navy Distinguished Service Medal (two awards), Defense Superior Service Medal (two awards), Legion of Merit (four awards), and the Navy and Marine Corp. Commendation Medal (three awards). In 1998, Adm. Haney received the Adm. James Bond Stockdale Award for Inspirational Leadership.

Gen. Vincent K. Brooks. Gen. Brooks may be the most visible of today’s Black military leaders, often holding televised press conferences during the opening salvos of the second Iraq War. Gen. Brooks is the commanding general of the United States Army Pacific and once served as commanding general of the 3rd Army. He was the Army Deputy Director of Operations during the second Iraq War in 2003, and previously served as the Chief of Army Public Affairs at the Pentagon. At West Point, he rose to the rank of Cadet First Captain, the highest position for a cadet, and was the first Black person to achieve this title.

This article originally published in the November 17, 2014 print edition of The Louisiana Weekly newspaper.