# New JSOC Commander - LTG Bryan Fenton



## SierraWave (Jan 26, 2021)

DoD released new GO assignments yesterday, including this one:


> The Chief of Staff of the Army announces the following general officer assignments:
> 
> [...]
> 
> *Lt. Gen. Bryan P. Fenton*, senior military assistant to the secretary of defense, Office of the Secretary of Defense, Washington, D.C., *to commander, Joint Special Operations Command*; and commander, Joint Special Operations Command Forward, U.S. Special Operations Command, Fort Bragg, North Carolina.


DoD also has a current bio for him posted as well. I highlighted his SOF-oriented assignments:


> Lieutenant General Bryan P. Fenton assumed duties as the Senior Military Assistant to the Secretary of Defense on August 12, 2019. Born in New Orleans, LA, he grew up in Seymour, TN and was commissioned in May 1987 as a U.S. Army Infantry Officer from the University of Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana. Lieutenant General Fenton’s assignments include: Infantry Platoon Leader and Company Executive Officer in 4th Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment; *Special Forces Detachment Commander and Battalion Operations Officer in 1st Battalion 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne); Battalion Commander at the John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School; Brigade Commander; J-3 for the Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC)*; Deputy Director of Strategy, Plans and Policy Department of the Army; Deputy Commanding General – (Operations) for the 25th Infantry Division; G-3 for U.S. Army Pacific (USARPAC); *Commander, Special Operations Command, Pacific (SOCPAC)*; and Deputy Commander, U.S. Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM).


In between his time at JFKSWCS and working as the JSOC J-3, he has a position just listed as "Brigade Commander." Not sure if that was of JFKSWCS or of some "other" unit.


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## Florida173 (Jan 26, 2021)

He is a great pick and pretty well liked. I'd say well deserved


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## Marauder06 (Jan 26, 2021)

SierraWave said:


> DoD released new GO assignments yesterday, including this one:
> 
> DoD also has a current bio for him posted as well. I highlighted his SOF-oriented assignments:
> 
> In between his time at JFKSWCS and working as the JSOC J-3, he has a position just listed as "Brigade Commander." Not sure if that was of JFKSWCS or of some "other" unit.



Other.  My father had a similar designation.


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## AWP (Jan 26, 2021)

There's "pimp" and then there's...


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## Intel Nerd (Jan 26, 2021)

SierraWave said:


> DoD released new GO assignments yesterday, including this one:
> 
> DoD also has a current bio for him posted as well. I highlighted his SOF-oriented assignments:
> 
> In between his time at JFKSWCS and working as the JSOC J-3, he has a position just listed as "Brigade Commander." Not sure if that was of JFKSWCS or of some "other" unit.



That Brigade Commander bit makes me wonder if it was located in the NCR. If so, it'll be interesting to see how the new JSOC CG will leverage their diverse background of SOF experiences to posture JSOC towards near peer (Re: China) threats. The SOCPAC background is very useful.

I'm probably reading too much into this, but I think with the shift from CT to including JSOC organizations towards C-RU/CH, I wouldn't be surprised if this pick was part of that longer strategy. *eats popcorn*


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## Brill (Jan 26, 2021)

You can tell a lot about a man from what is NOT in his bio.

Did his SF time, SWCS,..“Brigade Commander”????? THEN jumps to JSOC J3??

Musta been a hell of a brigade!


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## SierraWave (Jan 26, 2021)

Intel Nerd said:


> That Brigade Commander bit makes me wonder if it was located in the NCR. If so, it'll be interesting to see how the new JSOC CG will leverage their diverse background of SOF experiences to posture JSOC towards near peer (Re: China) threats. The SOCPAC background is very useful.


Not just SOCPAC, but 25th ID (Hawaii), G3 at USARPAC, and deputy CG at INDOPACOM. Strong orientation and fairly long-term engagement with the Pacific AOR.


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## AWP (Jan 26, 2021)

"Pivot to the Pacific"

The days of making one's bones in CENTCOM are over. Europe...what's that? Indo-Pacific, baby. This is the way.


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## Marauder06 (Jan 26, 2021)

AWP said:


> "Pivot to the Pacific"
> 
> The days of making one's bones in CENTCOM are over. Europe...what's that? Indo-Pacific, baby. This is the way.


We've been doing an "Asia pivot" since 2012.  But everyone is still looking at the CENTCOM AOR like:


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## AWP (Jan 26, 2021)

Marauder06 said:


> We've been doing an "Asia pivot" since 2012.  But everyone is still looking at the CENTCOM AOR like:
> 
> View attachment 38643



Only because CENTCOM still offers the chance, however slim, at a CIB or DFC. I guarantee there are careerists right now sitting on an email from Branch asking them to go to PACOM or CENTCOM and they are sweating bullets over the choice.

There are dudes with an altar with chicken blood, human blood, candles, you name it devoted to a war with Iran. Bet a dollar.


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## Marauder06 (Jan 26, 2021)

AWP said:


> Only because CENTCOM still offers the chance, however slim, at a CIB or DFC. I guarantee there are careerists right now sitting on an email from Branch asking them to go to PACOM or CENTCOM and they are sweating bullets over the choice.
> 
> There are dudes with an altar with chicken blood, human blood, candles, you name it devoted to a war with Iran. Bet a dollar.


I'd rather fight (again/more) in CENTCOM too.  There are some folks in PACOM that might actually be able to hurt us.


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## Kraut783 (Jan 26, 2021)

desert environment where I can see things.....jungle environment where I can't see shit 4 feet in front of me?

CENTCOM baby!!


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## Florida173 (Jan 26, 2021)

Marauder06 said:


> I'd rather fight (again/more) in CENTCOM too.  There are some folks in PACOM that might actually be able to hurt us.



1.3 billion folks..  all from one place

Doesn't matter about where anyone wants to fight. New SECDEF can't make a decision on anything. He sucked as CENTCOM commander and will be even worse as SECDEF


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## SierraWave (Jan 26, 2021)

Weren't we "pivoting to Asia" all the way back at the end of the 90s and early 2000s until 9/11 happened? I still can't shake the feeling that a decent amount of the momentum for the Asia pivot comes from those who just want to sell more planes, tanks, and destroyers. Way more money in that game than in the CT fight.


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## Intel Nerd (Jan 26, 2021)

SierraWave said:


> Weren't we "pivoting to Asia" all the way back at the end of the 90s and early 2000s until 9/11 happened? I still can't shake the feeling that a decent amount of the momentum for the Asia pivot comes from those who just want to sell more planes, tanks, and destroyers. Way more money in that game than in the CT fight.



Yes to all of that. Also, this Pacific pivot was really increased under Obama, continued under Trump, and is likely to expand. My main concern is that we're not adequately accounting for the increased spread of CT related issues in Africa as a result of the shift. I think sometimes we don't account that nations caring a lot about CT really like our support, but we lose them to China if we pack up and leave only for the Chinese or Russians to replace it.

I foresee a lot of instability and high risk actions by China over the next 5-10 years.


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## AWP (Jan 26, 2021)

SierraWave said:


> Weren't we "pivoting to Asia" all the way back at the end of the 90s and early 2000s until 9/11 happened? I still can't shake the feeling that a decent amount of the momentum for the Asia pivot comes from those who just want to sell more planes, tanks, and destroyers. Way more money in that game than in the CT fight.



Perception is reality.

It doesn't matter what's actually important, if people think... the Antarctic is important then the commander of McMurdo Station is in the driver's seat for a promotion. With that, everyone and their brother suddenly wants to command McMurdo Station.

Strategic realities are irrelevant to 99+% of careerists. They want the next the pay grade, not what's best for the country.


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## Brill (Jan 27, 2021)

Marauder06 said:


> We've been doing an "Asia pivot" since 2012.


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## frostyred (Jan 27, 2021)

NOW IS MY TIME
WE ARE COMING FOR YOU, MIDDLE KINGDOM


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## RetPara (Mar 15, 2022)

SierraWave said:


> DoD released new GO assignments yesterday, including this one:
> 
> DoD also has a current bio for him posted as well. I highlighted his SOF-oriented assignments:
> 
> In between his time at JFKSWCS and working as the JSOC J-3, he has a position just listed as "Brigade Commander." Not sure if that was of JFKSWCS or of some "other" unit.


The Brigade Command slot does not actually exist, it was put in there as a placeholder while he was undergoing intensive direct cyber education and to make people ask questions about it.


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