Vincent Keith Brooks
General, U.S. Army

Vincent Keith Brooks was born in Anchorage, AK. He grew up in an Army family in California, and his father, Major General Leo A. Brooks Sr. [Honoree Record ID 210443], and brother, Brigadier General Leo A. Brooks Jr., [Honoree Record ID 210435] both retired after careers in the Army. He attended Thomas Jefferson High School in Alexandria, VA, for two years and then Jesuit High School in Carmichael, CA, and graduated in 1976.

He was a basketball player and decided to follow his brother to West Point to study to become an Army officer. He attended the U.S. Military Academy where he rose to the rank of Cadet First Captain, the highest position (Cadet Brigade Commander), a cadet can hold. He was the first African-American cadet to hold this prestigious position, an appointment that brought much public visibility at an early age in life. He graduated from the USMA in 1980 and was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the Army.

After graduation, Brooks served in Korea and Kosovo among other places. In Kosovo he concurrently served as the Deputy Commander of the U.S. force in Kosovo (Task Force Falcon) and as Commander of the 1st Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division based at Fort Stewart, GA. From that position he moved to the Joint Chiefs of Staff at the Pentagon. While serving there he was temporarily assigned to be Deputy Director of Operations at U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM). Returning to the Pentagon and The Joint Staff in April 2003, he became the Strategic Planner for the War on Terrorism.

In his role as Deputy Director of Operations he also became the spokesperson of U.S. Central Command, the main force in the Middle East, which raised his public profile. At that time he was the youngest general officer in the Army. He served as the Commanding General, 1st Infantry Division at Fort Riley, KS, from April 2009 to May 2011 and then, as a Lieutenant General, became Commanding General of 3rd Army.

On 2 July 2013, Brooks was promoted to the four-star rank of General and became Commanding General of U.S. Army Pacific.

Medals, Awards, Badges & Tabs

Army Distinguished Service Medal
Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit with 2 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters
Bronze Star Medal with Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with Silver and 2 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters
Air Medal
Joint Service Commendation Medal
Army Commendation Medal with Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster
Joint Service Achievement Medal with 2 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters
National Defense Service Medal with Bronze Star
Kosovo Campaign Medal with Bronze Star
Iraq Campaign Medal with 2 Bronze Stars
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Korea Defense Service Medal
Army Service Ribbon
Army Overseas Service Ribbon with Numeral 4
Inter-American Defense Board Medal
NATO Medal (Kosovo)
Joint Meritorious Unit Award with Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters
Army Meritorious Unit Commendation with 4 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters
Army Superior Unit Award
Combat Action Badge
Senior Parachutist Badge
Joint Chiefs of Staff Identification Badge
Army Staff Identification Badge
Ranger Tab