09-22-2007, 10:19
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#1
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Administrators
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Fayetteville, NC
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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.
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Dan is offline
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09-22-2007, 10:19
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#2
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Administrators
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Fayetteville, NC
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From news.soc.mil
Quote:
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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)
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Dan is offline
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09-22-2007, 12:03
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#3
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Quiet Professional
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Free Pineland
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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
__________________
"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat." - President Theodore Roosevelt, 1910
De Oppresso Liber 01/20/2025
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The Reaper is offline
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09-22-2007, 12:08
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#4
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Quiet Professional
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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 
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SF_BHT is offline
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09-22-2007, 19:45
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#5
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Asset
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Ft. Bragg
Posts: 53
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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.
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Marauder06 is offline
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09-22-2007, 21:01
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#6
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Quiet Professional
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: LA
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Outstanding.
__________________
Somewhere a True Believer is training to kill you. He is training with minimal food or water, in austere conditions, training day and night. The only thing clean on him is his weapon and he made his web gear. He doesn't worry about what workout to do - his ruck weighs what it weighs, his runs end when the enemy stops chasing him. This True Believer is not concerned about 'how hard it is;' he knows either he wins or dies. He doesn't go home at 17:00, he is home.
He knows only The Cause.
Still want to quit?
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NousDefionsDoc is offline
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09-30-2007, 09:58
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#7
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Couldn't happen to a better man. Congrats Hector.
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Peregrino is offline
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10-05-2007, 11:44
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#8
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Quiet Professional
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Clarkesville, Georgia
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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, 
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soldierteacher is offline
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10-11-2007, 09:53
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#9
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Asset
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Occupied Pineland
Posts: 27
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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.
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Ladyhawke is offline
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10-11-2007, 12:44
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#10
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Guerrilla
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Puerto Rico, USA
Posts: 187
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Great
As a fellow Puertorican this is just excellent news. Desde la Isla del Encanto, congratulations General.
__________________
"Sure, we want to go home. We want this war over with. The quickest way to get it over with is to go get the bastards who started it. The quicker they are whipped, the quicker we can go home. The shortest way home is through Berlin and Tokyo. And when we get to Berlin, I am personally going to shoot that paper hanging son-of-a-bitch Hitler. Just like I'd shoot a snake!"
Gen. George S. Patton, Jr.
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Counsel is offline
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10-11-2007, 13:08
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#11
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Quiet Professional
Join Date: Jan 2004
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A great product of UPR-Mayaguez.
TR
__________________
"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat." - President Theodore Roosevelt, 1910
De Oppresso Liber 01/20/2025
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The Reaper is offline
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10-12-2007, 13:05
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#12
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Guerrilla
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Puerto Rico, USA
Posts: 187
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Quote:
Originally Posted by The Reaper
A great product of UPR-Mayaguez.
TR
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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.
__________________
"Sure, we want to go home. We want this war over with. The quickest way to get it over with is to go get the bastards who started it. The quicker they are whipped, the quicker we can go home. The shortest way home is through Berlin and Tokyo. And when we get to Berlin, I am personally going to shoot that paper hanging son-of-a-bitch Hitler. Just like I'd shoot a snake!"
Gen. George S. Patton, Jr.
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Counsel is offline
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10-12-2007, 17:54
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#13
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Quiet Professional
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Free Pineland
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Counsel
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.
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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
__________________
"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat." - President Theodore Roosevelt, 1910
De Oppresso Liber 01/20/2025
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The Reaper is offline
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10-25-2007, 21:44
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#14
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Quiet Professional
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Fayetteville, NC
Posts: 9
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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. 
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DarkWatch is offline
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01-28-2008, 06:26
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#15
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Guerrilla
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Bloomfield, Indiana
Posts: 287
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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
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"Wide Awake, Wide Awake"
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