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Dan 09-22-2007 10:19

Pagan promoted
 
http://www.fayobserver.com/article?id=272994

Quote:

Pagan promoted to brigadier general

By Henry Cuningham
Military editor


Hector Pagan, who served in El Salvador and the Panama invasion and led the 5th Special Forces in combat in Iraq, became the Army’s newest general Friday at Fort Bragg.

The 50-year-old Special Forces officer was promoted to brigadier general in front of a standing-room-only audience in the Fort Bragg Officers’ Club.

“We couldn’t be happier to have had this happen here,” Pagan said. “Eli (his wife) and I think of Fort Bragg as home.”

Pagan became the Army’s sixth general of Hispanic descent, according to the General Officer Management Office.

The crowd included ROTC classmates, a friend from Chile, family members from Puerto Rico and a South Korean brigadier general. Also attending was Adm. Eric Olson, commander of U.S. Special Operations Command at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, Fla.

Pagan, who has commanded troops in three of the five active-duty Special Forces groups, is deputy commander of the John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School at Fort Bragg.

He was born in New York City, grew up in Puerto Rico and commissioned as an Army officer in the infantry through the ROTC program at the University of Puerto Rico at Mayaguez.

“I am grateful to a nation, an Army, that allows a guy like me to be a general officer one day,” he said. “I am grateful for the great soldiers I have served with during the years I have been in the Army, mostly in Special Forces, exceptional men, like the ones we’ve lost in Iraq where we served with 5th Special Forces Group. I carry their memories with me every day of my life.”

Maj. Gen. James Parker and Pagan’s wife, Elizabeth, pinned the stars on his shoulders. Parker is commander of the John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School.

“When I think of Hector, one of the first thoughts that comes to my mind is family, the love of his family, how important they are to him,” Parker said.

The Pagans have a daughter, Karla, a son, Hector, and a niece, Maria, who lives with them. They became grandparents last month.

Pagan’s assignments included a stint in the Army’s personnel command.

“One of the things he learned there was how to tell a captain he was going to the Western Sahara on a peacekeeping operation and have the captain hang up the phone and be happy about it,” Parker said. “Only Hector could do that.”

Parker spoke of how he served with Pagan, learned of his abilities and sought him out. One of their experiences together was in the 7th Special Forces Group at Fort Bragg with the Mexican Training Initiative. When training hit a snag, Parker turned to Pagan, his operations officer, and sent him off to Mexico City.

Problems surfaced with travel, funding and the State Department. Pagan solved the problems and came home by the following Friday, Parker said.

In 1998, Pagan was selected to command the 2nd Battalion of the 1st Special Forces Group at Fort Lewis, Wash.

“He came to me, and he said, ‘Sir, I’m so happy and so humbled to be selected to command, but why are they sending me, a Spanish-speaking boy from Puerto Rico to a cold place like Fort Lewis to command a battalion oriented to Korea? And they don’t speak Spanish there.’”
Military editor Henry Cuningham can be reached at cuninghamh@fayobserver.com or 486-3585.

Dan 09-22-2007 10:19

1 Attachment(s)
From news.soc.mil

Quote:

Maj. Gen. James W. Parker, U.S. Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School commander (left) and Mrs. Ellie Pagan (right), pin the rank of Brig. Gen. onto Hector E. Pagan, deputy commander, USAJFKSWCS, at the Fort Bragg Officer's Club, Friday, Sept. 21, 2007. Pagan is the newest Special Forces general and one of six U.S. Army generals of Hispanic origin. (Army photo by Sgt. Curtis Squires)

The Reaper 09-22-2007 12:03

Well done, hermano.

We came into the Army together in 1979, and served together frequently over the years.

If he ever needed anything from me, all he has to do is name it.

I would be happy to follow Hector into the Gates of Hell with just the two of us.

He is a tremendous asset to the Army, and to SF.

A well-deserved promotion in recognition of future service.

TR

SF_BHT 09-22-2007 12:08

Congrads Hector. Just like TR said he is a outstanding person, officer and will be an outstanding General. I have served with him also and am very happy that a person like him will be leading SF soldiers in the future form the GEO ranks.

Damn Jim Parker is getting bigger:D

Marauder06 09-22-2007 19:45

Then-COL Pagan was my Group Commander for the very short period of time I served in 5th Group. I'm glad to hear he got his star.

NousDefionsDoc 09-22-2007 21:01

Outstanding.

Peregrino 09-30-2007 09:58

Couldn't happen to a better man. Congrats Hector.

soldierteacher 10-05-2007 11:44

Congrads to a well deserving soldier and friend.....Gen Pagan was all about helping the soldier and their family.....helped me get promoted to CW4.....let's see that makes five 7th SFG(A) Team Leaders I've (we) known to make a Star.....dang we are good.......Take Care and Be Safe All, :)

Ladyhawke 10-11-2007 09:53

Yes!!!
 
Knew him as a Major; congrats. Really glad he has stayed; the Army needs more like him. I hope he does not stop at one star. Way to go BG Pagan.

Counsel 10-11-2007 12:44

Great
 
As a fellow Puertorican this is just excellent news. Desde la Isla del Encanto, congratulations General.

The Reaper 10-11-2007 13:08

A great product of UPR-Mayaguez.

TR

Counsel 10-12-2007 13:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Reaper (Post 185249)
A great product of UPR-Mayaguez.

TR

TR, did not know you knew so much about PR. UPR-Mayaguez is not a big - well known campus compared to other CONUS college campuses. I’m however a product of UPR-Rio Piedras, but loved the Mayaguez campus back in the day. Hope your experiences here were good ones.

The Reaper 10-12-2007 17:54

Quote:

Originally Posted by Counsel (Post 185378)
TR, did not know you knew so much about PR. UPR-Mayaguez is not a big - well known campus compared to other CONUS college campuses. I’m however a product of UPR-Rio Piedras, but loved the Mayaguez campus back in the day. Hope your experiences here were good ones.

Two years there during the short USARSO-SOCSOUTH tenure, during all of the Vieques troubles. I was caught in a couple of riots/protests while I was there.

My former Ops O ( a retired Major) works at UPR-RP in the ROTC department. Good man!

TR

DarkWatch 10-25-2007 21:44

I knew Hector Pagan when he was a Captain. He's even better today. To bad assholes like Parker officially stand above Hector. The sooner that bastard leaves the better off SF will be. :(

Psywar1-0 01-28-2008 06:26

I knew him when he was the Group 3, good Man. Just need Burgos and Smiity in the pic to give me a real nightmare of 5 different ways to get from HQ's to the range:D


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