Courtesy Photo | Maj. Gen. David Blackledge prepares to hand the custom Beretta M9 pistol given to...... read more read more
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FORT MEADE, Md. - The ranks of Army generals grew when the commander of the 352nd Civil Affairs Command was promoted in a ceremony, Saturday, March 12, at Fort Meade, Md.
Brig. Gen. Ed Burley received his first star at a ceremony officiated by Maj. Gen. David Blackledge, commander of U.S. Army Civil Affairs and Psychological Operations Command (Airborne), at the Capt. John E. Smathers U.S. Army Reserve Center. Burley’s family, coworkers and comrades were in attendance.
“I never imagined that I would be standing here today,” Burley said, explaining that as a child he always preferred being the sergeant to his friends’ officers when they played army. “Now, it’s a real shock as a result for people to be calling me general.”
Blackledge explained to those in attendance that less than two percent of the Army’s officers will earn a star, and that made the day’s proceedings significant. He pointed to Burley’s wide experience in infantry, psychological operations and civil affairs as an asset needed amongst the Army’s senior leaders.
“To go from colonel to general officer is kind of like getting struck by lightning. It’s a very rare thing” he said. “As a general officer, you are no longer a specialist in your field. You are expected to be a generalist [and] be able to do anything. I can’t think of any officer that is more qualified to become a general officer than Ed.”
Burley’s parents, retired Lt. Col. Edward and Judith Burley, pinned on Burley’s shoulder boards as the promotion order was read, and his daughters Shannon, Megan and Erin affixed the star on his beret.
The senior Burley, an infantry officer who served two tours in Vietnam, read his son the oath of office when he was commissioned as a second lieutenant in 1983. He repeated that act when his son entered the general officers’ ranks. Burley received a general’s flag, pistol belt and custom Beretta M9 pistol after taking the oath.
Burley thanked those in attendance and highlighted the leaders who mentored him throughout both his civilian and military careers, starting with his father, who he said gave him the most important advice when he first joined the Army: “Always listen to your NCOs.” He said all of his mentors made him who he is today.
“Good leaders make good leaders,” Burley said. “I always hope I can live up to that standard and be that kind of leader who develops people and brings them along to make them better as well.”
He said that while he was attending the Capstone Joint Operations Module in preparation for his new rank, Army Chief of Staff Gen. George Casey told his class that generals are here to tackle hard problems and cut through red tape that junior officers are unable to work around. In light of that lesson, Burley redressed a past wrong by awarding the Meritorious Service Medal to a first sergeant he deployed to Bosnia-Herzegovina with in 1997. First Sgt. Charles H. Goodrich retired in April 1998, but his retirement award was lost in the shuffle.
The newly promoted general said he planned to continue building on the good work done by 352nd CACOM’s soldiers.
“We are the liaison between civilians and the military,” Burley said. “We rebuild schools, reopen markets, and shape a positive image of America for the world. Civil affairs is the cornerstone of counterinsurgency operations, like those in Iraq and Afghanistan.
“The first thing you can expect is I will continue to build the tremendous legacy of excellence in peace and war that the 352 is known for,” he continued. “We will be the face of civil affairs for U.S. Central Command.”
| Date Taken: | 03.12.2011 |
| Date Posted: | 03.13.2011 11:52 |
| Story ID: | 66981 |
| Location: | FORT MEADE, MARYLAND, US |
| Web Views: | 1,189 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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