brown born october star united_states_army general retired decades military service final assignment served seventh commander september july commander responsible unified special operations forces active duty reserve brown joined united_states_army private infantry graduating shortly fought vietnam war special forces team returning combat tour enrolled commissioned second lieutenant attending returned vietnam helicopter pilot vietnam war task force later found stint brown took numerous operations 1980s early 1990s brown participated invasion unit aviation unit use night vision combat late 1980s led forces assigned amidst iran iraq war shortly commanded battalion operation promoted colonel commander regiment leaving served helm brown deputy commander holding post selected replace air_force general commander shortly head involved aftermath pat friendly fire incident culminated testified congressional tenure command announced creation brown retired leading years iraq war war afghanistan early life family brown native maryland born grew military family father member world war command sergeant major served vietnam war mother brown played baseball basketball high school eventually semi pro baseball team north_carolina interview year special operations commented short lived semi pro baseball career saying played games found life couldn sustained game losing interest college father vietnam walked recruiting office joined army married penny brown née native daughters grandchildren military service early military career vietnam entered army private infantry attending north_carolina signed meeting brown completed assigned 7th shortly deployed vietnam special forces team interest aviation started returning united_states tour vietnam helicopters asked helicopter pilot assist conducting reconnaissance flight northern georgia immediately signed flight school graduated obtaining field artillery officer commission second lieutenant stationed camp south_korea headquarters 17th field artillery regiment brown went earn aviator badge attending fort alabama aviation school returned vietnam helicopter pilot assault helicopter company member aviation branch attain rank star general june brown assigned kentucky flying member company commander originally air arm operation credible sport iranian students seized american embassy held embassy staff hostage rescue operation code named ended failure equipment coordination problems culminating crash sea stallion helicopter parked hercules iranian desert killing servicemen second rescue attempt operation credible sport ordered brown involved planning preparation follow rescue included army assets army units involved battalions battalions formed task force president carter appointed chief naval operations admiral iii head commission study deficiencies revealed failure presented findings fact military lacked aircraft crews trained prepared perform mission types began night flight training night vision develop nighttime extraction capabilities originally developed ground forces flown task force quickly adapted flying brown words warrant officer figured cut apart mount helmets increase efficiency safety huge margin authority cutting building nighttime training took place proving ground utah result night vision training brown asserted interview today tactics techniques procedures modifications came directly mission ultimately operation credible sport come fruition peaceful resolution crisis hostages released result long negotiations operation credible sport ended army leadership decided unit needed future operations october task force brown founding member choice unit accepted logical progression battalions later renamed current october brown participated invasion unit aviation unit use night vision combat late 1980s brown led forces assigned provided escort security american iran iraq war operation prime chance brown unit aviation unit engage combat night vision devices engaged iranian ship seen deploying mines participated operation mount hope iii forces recovered crashed soviet attack helicopter company deployed company flew nautical miles night use navigational aids crash site crash site crews crashed hind load returning flight performed air air refuel later endured returning hind brown commanded battalion operation operation missions operations included special forces teams units performing reconnaissance attacking pre designated targets brown commanding officer regiment general officer brown served assistant division commander maneuver fort riley kansas later served director plans policy strategic assessments lieutenant general commanded brown went lead october helm brown sought neglected aspects army special operations mainly civil affairs psychological operations units time brown left increased budget percent leading army special operations forces years brown selected deputy commander held position nominated commander september brown replaced air_force general commander brown tenure commander involved aftermath pat friendly fire incident occurred early testified congressional receiving memo commander informing brown highly possible corporal killed friendly fire ultimately commanding general army officers held responsible information surrounding death november brown secretary defense general announced creation prior creation marine_corps involved special operations conducted army navy air_force units assigned september attacks secretary defense directed marine_corps brown predecessor work closer global war terror culminated creation detachment june shortly brown took command nearly years later february activated camp north_carolina brown oversaw component mandated study strategic objectives potential military threats result brown contributions considered success major stride forward preparing special forces future increasing budget manpower result capabilities greatly expanded including increasing active duty battalions expansion psychological operations civil affairs units increasing number navy seals major changes years leading iraq war war afghanistan president nominated rear admiral succeed brown commander brown served headquarters tampa years deputy commander change command ceremony took place july presided secretary defense ceremony gates said came post years ago determined improve way special operators fight time change command ceremony brown longest serving commander history days office course military career brown amassed total hours flight time fixed winged aircraft education military education included field artillery officer advance course lieutenant colonel brown wrote military studies program future commander paper titled rescue search tomorrow brown highly critical united_states_air_force saying proponent agency search rescue chose deploy forces brown graduated received bachelor degree history master degree business post military life november shortly brown retired army joined board directors scientific military applications robotic aircraft vehicles brown president founder consultation firm advisor defense intelligence contracting company directly supports training requirements defense intelligence communities serves board directors board directors company developing composite armor personnel vehicles aircraft senior advisor ceo awards honors general brown awarded following military awards decorations accolades shortly retirement brown named patriot year received following year inducted named brown man year compound fort campbell renamed brown compound honor film rescue search tomorrow pennsylvania retrieved quiet aviation professionals special warfare john kennedy special warfare center school special warfare center school retrieved meeting challenges 21st century
Bryan D. Brown