Photo By Staff Sgt. Brendan Stephens | WILMINGTON N.C.- The entrance of the Brig. Gen. James T Carper Classroom located in...... read more read more
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On the first floor of the new headquarters for the 1st Battalion, 120th Infantry Regiment is the Brig. Gen. James T. Carper classroom. The room itself features a state of the art presentation system, large video monitors and neatly aligned tables and chairs, on par with any university setting. This is not the first Brig. Gen. James T. Carper classroom, its predecessor was in the old battalion Headquarters and for years was the home to thousands of untold classes, meetings and discussions, in short the modern history of the 120th unfolded between its walls. To the casual observer this new space is just a classroom, but the story behind the name above the door brings with it a lifetime of dedication to the development of young Soldiers and a legacy of leadership in the NC National Guard both in uniform and out.
Commissioned from NC State University in May of 1966, Brig. Gen. Carper served in Vietnam as a Technical Supply officer from 1967-1968 with 25th Division. Joining the NC Army National Guard in 1971, Carper served nearly 17 years in the 1st Battalion 120th Infantry Regiment, and total of 26 years in the 30th Infantry Brigade (Mechanized) (Separate). He served both as the 120th Battalion Commander and the 30th Commander, before taking on his last assignment as the Deputy Adjutant General and retiring in 1999. According to the current 30th Armor Brigade Combat Team commander, Col. Wes Morrison, “Even after he left command and retired, he would spend countless hours teaching, coaching and mentoring 30th leaders as we prepared for the 2003 NTC Rotation in his role as a contractor.” Morrison sited how Brig. Gen. Carper always ensured leaders understood the history and why the 30th trained the way they did, Morrison said Carper credited a former commander Brig. Gen Kenneth R. Newbold with setting the course for the 30th’s future success. A true visionary, in retirement he took a position at the Ft. Fisher training center and was a champion for remodeling the old Air Force barracks in order to house Soldiers and Airmen during training, operations or conferences.
It has been said that places have meaning, usually tied to a story of the location, with this new Brig. Gen. James T. Carper classroom the stories and legacy he left behind through his service and commitment to Old Hickory Soldiers will live on. Maj. Gen. Todd Hunt, the Adjutant General summed it up nicely, “Brig. Gen. Carper was a true presence in the NC National Guard for decades both in uniform and in retirement. His love of history, Soldiers, our state and nation was larger than life. Having a place named in his honor in the new Tusk Hog headquarters is fitting for the next generation of Soldiers”
Brig. Gen. Carper passed away in the early morning of Tuesday September 28th, 2021. His obituary can be found at https://www.andrewsmortuary.com/obituary/brigadier-general-r-james-carper
| Date Taken: | 10.02.2021 |
| Date Posted: | 10.05.2021 14:07 |
| Story ID: | 406757 |
| Location: | WILMINGTON, NORTH CAROLINA, US |
| Web Views: | 90 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
This work, New NC Army National Guard names room for former Commander in new Readiness Center, by Matthew Handley, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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