DoD announces promotion, next assignment
for 10th Mountain Division's senior commander
Maj. Gen. Beagle often echoes a founding father of the 10th Mountain Division, Lt. Gen. George Hays, telling Soldiers their goal must be moving “Always Forward … Keep Climbing.” Nevertheless, as he and his wife Pam ready to embark on their 15th permanent change of station, he is stopping to reflect.
“Promotions are a vote of confidence, a table slap that you’ve done something right – and for that I am grateful and energized for the next challenge,” he said. “But it’s bittersweet, as we hate to leave Fort Drum, the North Country and this proud Climb to Glory team.”
Readiness, leader development, taking care of people and their quality of life are key lines of effort under Maj. Gen. Beagle’s direction. Focusing on any of them requires a strong foundation of open and constant communication, which in 2022 means fully leaning into and embracing social media. He is extraordinarily accessible on Instagram and Facebook and chronicles his work – and home – life at Fort Drum with captions that leave no question he is having fun.
From aerial gunnery training to “crashing” re-enlistment ceremonies, to planking competitions in the snow, the senior commander is living his favorite hashtag #owntheenvironment. And from handing out pancakes and maple syrup at a Family, Morale, Welfare and Recreation event, to what he is reading, to laughing at how much his dog does not like dressing up for Halloween, @10th_mountain_cg is here to emulate the Soldier at the top of the Military Mountaineers Monument. He is reaching out to connect.
“I am so inspired by our monument,” Maj. Gen. Beagle said. “We can all be the Soldier that we all see at the top of that statue, who took the time to extend their hand to others. As our motto states, ‘Climb to Glory,’ and we all know the response, ‘To the Top.’ It is my intent that we all understand and realize one thing: there is always room at the top. Therefore, we should always be reaching our hand out to pull somebody else along the way.”
Having previously served as deputy commanding general at Fort Drum, he was well positioned to start “climbing” as soon as he took command.
“When Pam and I were given the news that we were heading back to Fort Drum, we couldn’t believe our luck. We knew this time, though, we were arriving having run out of jobs to lobby for a return assignment. We came dedicated to open ourselves to the experience, take every opportunity to lead and learn, and relish every minute,” he added.
Given this, it should come as no surprise that, according to Maj. Gen. Beagle, today’s announcement – as very exciting and incredibly humbling as it is – is not going to change much about his plans for the day.
“Until I hand our flag to the 18th Airborne Corps commander to hand to someone else, I am completely present here and focused on Fort Drum and the 10th Mountain Division,” he said.
The announcement naming the incoming senior commander for the 10th Mountain Division and Fort Drum is forthcoming.
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About Maj. Gen. Beagle:
Maj. Gen. Beagle was commissioned as an infantry officer upon graduation from South Carolina State University in 1990 as a distinguished military graduate.
He holds master’s degrees from Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas, and the U.S. Army School of Advanced Military Studies (SAMS), Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.
He has served in numerous leadership capacities from the platoon to brigade level. He has served in combat in both Iraq and Afghanistan in positions ranging from operations officer in tactical combat units to Advisor as part of NATO missions. His career assignments have spanned the globe from Hawaii to the Republic of South Korea.
His most recent assignments were as the executive officer to the 35th vice chief of staff of the Army, General Allyn, followed by serving as the deputy commanding general (support), 10th Mountain Division (LI), Fort Drum, New York, and forward deployed in support of Operation Inherent Resolve, Kuwait. Before his return to Fort Drum as senior commander in July 2021, he served as the 51st commanding general, U.S. Army Training Center and Fort Jackson, Fort Jackson, South Carolina.
(Fort Drum Public Affairs Office)