COLUMBIA, S.C. — Fort Jackson will soon welcome a new commanding general as Brigadier General Milford Beagle, Jr., leaves Fort Jackson to become the 10th Mountain Division (Light) and Fort Drum Commander at Fort Drum, N.Y.
Brig. Gen. Patrick R. Michaelis will assume command at Fort Jackson at a change of command ceremony on June 18. He will become the 52nd commanding general for Fort Jackson.
Michaelis currently serves as the Deputy Commanding General for Operations at the U.S. Recruiting Command at Fort Knox, Ky.
Michaelis is a Distinguished Military Graduate from Texas A&M University and was commissioned a second lieutenant of Armor in 1993.
Michaelis' previous assignments include:
- Deputy Commanding Officer (Maneuver) for the 1st Infantry Division, Fort Riley, Kansas;
- Commander, Mission Command Element, Operation Atlantic Resolve, United States Army Europe;
- Executive Officer to the Under Secretary of the Army;
- Commander of the 2d Recruiting Brigade, Redstone Arsenal Alabama;
- G3 (operations officer) for the 1st Infantry Division at Fort Riley, Kansas;
- Chief of Staff to the commander of the Combined Joint Forces Land Component Command - Iraq (CJFLCC-I) in support of Operation Inherent Resolve in Baghdad, Iraq;
- Commander of the 8th Squadron, 1st Cavalry Regiment, 2-2 Stryker Brigade, where he had operational responsibility for Kandahar City, Afghanistan as part of Operation Enduring Freedom;
- Special Assistant to the Vice Chief of Staff, Army;
- Operations Officer for the 1st Ironhorse Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas during Operation Iraqi Freedom;
- Executive Officer and Operations Officer for 1st Squadron, 7th U.S. Cavalry;
- Battle Command and Chief Knowledge Officer for the 1st Cavalry Division during Operation Iraqi Freedom II.
Michaelis received a Bachelor of Arts in history from Texas A&M University; a Master's in Public Administration from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government and a Masters in Strategic Studies from the United States Army War College, specializing in strategic planning.
His military training and education also includes the Armor Officer Basic and Advanced Course, Scout Platoon Leaders Course, Cavalry Leaders Course, Combined Arms and Services Staff School, Command and General Staff College, Airborne, Air Assault, and Ranger School.
The change of command ceremony will be held at 9 a.m. on Hilton Field.