David A. Bramlett
Encyclopedia
David Anthony Bramlett is a retired United States Army
four star general who commanded United States Army Forces Command
from July 1, 1996 to August 31, 1998, after serving as Deputy Commander in Chief and Chief of Staff, United States Pacific Command
at Camp H. M. Smith
, Hawaii. During his tenure as Deputy Commander, he was the interim commander of Pacific Command after the commander, Admiral Richard C. Macke
, came under fire for comments he had made in regard to the 1995 rape scandal in Okinawa
that involved several U.S. servicemen.
, Bramlett graduated from the United States Military Academy
in 1964 and was commissioned a second lieutenant of Infantry. His first assignment was as a platoon leader in Company B, 1st Battalion, 14th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division, Hawaii.
He served in Vietnam from December 1965 to November 1966, as aide-de-camp for the Assistant Division Commander, 25th Infantry Division, and later company executive officer, C/1-14 Infantry. His second tour, from September 1968 to August 1969, included rifle company command of C/2-327th Infantry, 101st Airborne Division
and assistant brigade S-3, 1st Brigade.
Bramlett's numerous command and staff positions include Commander, 1-503rd Infantry, 3rd Brigade, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Kentucky; Commander, 1st Brigade, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, North Carolina; Commander, 3rd Brigade, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault); and as Commanding General, 6th Infantry Division (Light), Fort Wainwright
, Alaska. He also served as Assistant Chief of Staff, G-1, 101st Airborne Division; and as Assistant Chief of Staff, G-3/Director Plans and Training, XVIII Airborne Corps, Fort Bragg.
His career also includes tours of duty as Deputy Director, Plans, Policy and Programs Directorate, United States Central Command
, MacDill Air Force Base
, Florida and Assistant Division Commander, 25th Infantry Division, Hawaii. Prior to assuming command of the 6th Infantry Division (Light), he was Commandant of Cadets, United States Military Academy, West Point, New York, from 1989 to 1992.
His instructor tours include the Florida Ranger Camp, 1967–68, and the Department of English at West Point for three years after earning a master's degree from Duke University
in 1972.
He attended the Advanced Course at the United States Army Armor School
, the Command and General Staff College
, and the Army War College.
, the Army Distinguished Service Medal, Silver Star
, Legion of Merit
, Bronze Star
with "V" device with five Oak Leaf Clusters, and the Defense Meritorious Service Medal
. He also wears the Combat Infantryman Badge
, Senior Parachutist Badge, Air Assault Badge
, and Ranger Tab
.
. He is married to the former Judith Ann Cassidy. They have one son, Robert.
, teaching graduate seminars in U.S. Military History, the American Way of War and War Literature.
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
four star general who commanded United States Army Forces Command
United States Army Forces Command
United States Army Forces Command is the largest Army Command and the preeminent provider of expeditionary, campaign-capable land forces to Combatant Commanders. Headquartered at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, FORSCOM consists of more than 750,000 Active Army, U.S. Army Reserve, and Army National...
from July 1, 1996 to August 31, 1998, after serving as Deputy Commander in Chief and Chief of Staff, United States Pacific Command
United States Pacific Command
The United States Pacific Command is a Unified Combatant Command of the United States armed forces responsible for the Pacific Ocean area. It is led by the Commander, Pacific Command , who is the supreme military authority for the various branches of the Armed Forces of the United States serving...
at Camp H. M. Smith
Camp H. M. Smith
Camp H. M. Smith is a United States Marine Corps installation in the Hawaiian town of Aiea on the island of Oahu, near the community of Halawa Heights...
, Hawaii. During his tenure as Deputy Commander, he was the interim commander of Pacific Command after the commander, Admiral Richard C. Macke
Richard C. Macke
Richard Chester Macke was a Naval Aviator, an Admiral in the United States Navy and Commander of United States Pacific Command from July 19, 1994 until January 31, 1996. He was fired from that post in November 1995, hours after making comments considered insensitive to reporters about the case of...
, came under fire for comments he had made in regard to the 1995 rape scandal in Okinawa
1995 Okinawan rape incident
The 1995 Okinawa rape incident refers to a rape that took place on September 4, 1995, when three U.S. servicemen, U.S. Navy Seaman Marcus Gill and U.S. Marines Rodrico Harp and Kendrick Ledet, all from Camp Hansen on Okinawa, rented a van and kidnapped a 12-year-old Japanese girl. They beat her,...
that involved several U.S. servicemen.
Military career
Entering the Army from Imperial Beach, CaliforniaImperial Beach, California
Imperial Beach is a residential beach city in San Diego County, California, with a population of 26,324 at the 2010 census. The city is the most southern beach city in Southern California and the West Coast of the United States...
, Bramlett graduated from the United States Military Academy
United States Military Academy
The United States Military Academy at West Point is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located at West Point, New York. The academy sits on scenic high ground overlooking the Hudson River, north of New York City...
in 1964 and was commissioned a second lieutenant of Infantry. His first assignment was as a platoon leader in Company B, 1st Battalion, 14th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division, Hawaii.
He served in Vietnam from December 1965 to November 1966, as aide-de-camp for the Assistant Division Commander, 25th Infantry Division, and later company executive officer, C/1-14 Infantry. His second tour, from September 1968 to August 1969, included rifle company command of C/2-327th Infantry, 101st Airborne Division
101st Airborne Division
The 101st Airborne Division—the "Screaming Eagles"—is a U.S. Army modular light infantry division trained for air assault operations. During World War II, it was renowned for its role in Operation Overlord, the D-Day landings on 6 June 1944, in Normandy, France, Operation Market Garden, the...
and assistant brigade S-3, 1st Brigade.
Bramlett's numerous command and staff positions include Commander, 1-503rd Infantry, 3rd Brigade, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Kentucky; Commander, 1st Brigade, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, North Carolina; Commander, 3rd Brigade, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault); and as Commanding General, 6th Infantry Division (Light), Fort Wainwright
Fort Wainwright
Fort Wainwright is a United States Army post adjacent to Fairbanks in the U.S. state of Alaska. It is part of the Fairbanks, Alaska Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
, Alaska. He also served as Assistant Chief of Staff, G-1, 101st Airborne Division; and as Assistant Chief of Staff, G-3/Director Plans and Training, XVIII Airborne Corps, Fort Bragg.
His career also includes tours of duty as Deputy Director, Plans, Policy and Programs Directorate, United States Central Command
United States Central Command
The United States Central Command is a theater-level Unified Combatant Command unit of the U.S. armed forces, established in 1983 under the operational control of the U.S. Secretary of Defense...
, MacDill Air Force Base
MacDill Air Force Base
MacDill Air Force Base is an active United States Air Force base located approximately south-southwest of downtown Tampa, Florida...
, Florida and Assistant Division Commander, 25th Infantry Division, Hawaii. Prior to assuming command of the 6th Infantry Division (Light), he was Commandant of Cadets, United States Military Academy, West Point, New York, from 1989 to 1992.
His instructor tours include the Florida Ranger Camp, 1967–68, and the Department of English at West Point for three years after earning a master's degree from Duke University
Duke University
Duke University is a private research university located in Durham, North Carolina, United States. Founded by Methodists and Quakers in the present day town of Trinity in 1838, the school moved to Durham in 1892. In 1924, tobacco industrialist James B...
in 1972.
He attended the Advanced Course at the United States Army Armor School
United States Army Armor School
The United States Army Armor School is a training school located at Fort Benning. Its primary focus is the training of United States Army soldiers, NCOs, and commissioned officers in the operation, tactics, and maintenance of Armor forces and equipment, including the M1 Abrams main battle tank, the...
, the Command and General Staff College
Command and General Staff College
The United States Army Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas is a graduate school for United States Army and sister service officers, interagency representatives, and international military officers. The college was established in 1881 by William Tecumseh Sherman as a...
, and the Army War College.
Awards and decorations
Bramlett's military awards include the Defense Distinguished Service MedalDefense Distinguished Service Medal
The Defense Distinguished Service Medal is a United States military award which is presented for exceptionally distinguished performance of duty contributing to national security or defense of the United States...
, the Army Distinguished Service Medal, Silver Star
Silver Star
The Silver Star is the third-highest combat military decoration that can be awarded to a member of any branch of the United States armed forces for valor in the face of the enemy....
, Legion of Merit
Legion of Merit
The Legion of Merit is a military decoration of the United States armed forces that is awarded for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements...
, Bronze Star
Bronze Star Medal
The Bronze Star Medal is a United States Armed Forces individual military decoration that may be awarded for bravery, acts of merit, or meritorious service. As a medal it is awarded for merit, and with the "V" for valor device it is awarded for heroism. It is the fourth-highest combat award of the...
with "V" device with five Oak Leaf Clusters, and the Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
The Defense Meritorious Service Medal is the third-highest award bestowed upon members of the United States military by the United States Department of Defense...
. He also wears the Combat Infantryman Badge
Combat Infantryman Badge
The Combat Infantryman Badge is the U.S. Army combat service recognition decoration awarded to soldiers—enlisted men and officers holding colonel rank or below, who personally fought in active ground combat while an assigned member of either an infantry or a Special Forces unit, of brigade size...
, Senior Parachutist Badge, Air Assault Badge
Air Assault Badge
The Air Assault Badge, pictured to the right, is awarded by the U.S. Army for successful completion of the Air Assault School, a two-week course. The course includes three phases of instruction involving U.S. Army rotary wing aircraft: combat air assault operations; rigging and slingload...
, and Ranger Tab
Ranger Tab
The Ranger Tab is a service school military decoration of the United States Army signifying completion of the 61-day long Ranger School course in small-unit infantry combat tactics in woodland, mountain, and swamp operations. In December 2009 a British NCO earned the Ranger tab...
.
Defense Distinguished Service MedalDefense Distinguished Service MedalThe Defense Distinguished Service Medal is a United States military award which is presented for exceptionally distinguished performance of duty contributing to national security or defense of the United States...
Army Distinguished Service Medal
Silver StarSilver StarThe Silver Star is the third-highest combat military decoration that can be awarded to a member of any branch of the United States armed forces for valor in the face of the enemy....
Legion of MeritLegion of MeritThe Legion of Merit is a military decoration of the United States armed forces that is awarded for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements...
Bronze StarBronze Star MedalThe Bronze Star Medal is a United States Armed Forces individual military decoration that may be awarded for bravery, acts of merit, or meritorious service. As a medal it is awarded for merit, and with the "V" for valor device it is awarded for heroism. It is the fourth-highest combat award of the...
with five oak leaf clusters
Defense Meritorious Service MedalDefense Meritorious Service MedalThe Defense Meritorious Service Medal is the third-highest award bestowed upon members of the United States military by the United States Department of Defense...
Combat Infantryman BadgeCombat Infantryman BadgeThe Combat Infantryman Badge is the U.S. Army combat service recognition decoration awarded to soldiers—enlisted men and officers holding colonel rank or below, who personally fought in active ground combat while an assigned member of either an infantry or a Special Forces unit, of brigade size...
Senior Parachutist Badge
Air Assault BadgeAir Assault BadgeThe Air Assault Badge, pictured to the right, is awarded by the U.S. Army for successful completion of the Air Assault School, a two-week course. The course includes three phases of instruction involving U.S. Army rotary wing aircraft: combat air assault operations; rigging and slingload...
Ranger TabRanger TabThe Ranger Tab is a service school military decoration of the United States Army signifying completion of the 61-day long Ranger School course in small-unit infantry combat tactics in woodland, mountain, and swamp operations. In December 2009 a British NCO earned the Ranger tab...
Relations
Bramlett is the son of Mrs. Jayne E. Bramlett and the late Mr. Robert H. Bramlett, USN (retired), of National City, CaliforniaNational City, California
National City is a city in San Diego County, California. The population was 58,582 at the 2010 census, up from 54,260 at the 2000 census. National City is the second oldest city in San Diego County and has a historic past.-History:...
. He is married to the former Judith Ann Cassidy. They have one son, Robert.
Post military career
After retiring from the military, Bramlett became the vice president of the Hawaii Army Museum Society. He also currently serves as an adjunct professor at Hawaii Pacific UniversityHawaii Pacific University
Hawaii Pacific University, also known as HPU, is a private, Nonsectarian, coeducational university located in Honolulu, Hawaii and Kaneohe, Hawaii. HPU founded in 1965 as Hawaii Pacific College by Paul C.T. Loo, Eureka Forbes, Elizabeth W...
, teaching graduate seminars in U.S. Military History, the American Way of War and War Literature.