The new Commanding Officer of the 21st Cavalry Brigade, COL John C. White, visited Brownwood on Friday and was welcomed to Brownwood Regional Airport by Dr. Steve Kelly. COL White flew to Brownwood in one of the new army Lakota helicopters.
The 21st Cavalry Brigade has been Brownwood’s Community Partner at Fort Hood since 1992. The 21st Cavalry Brigade also adopted Brownwood High School on June 25, 2009.
COL White is a native of the State of New York. This is his first tour in Texas in his very distinguished military career. COL White is very happy to be in Texas and is anxious to continue to support the students at Brownwood High School and continue the community partnership between the 21st Cavalry Brigade and the City of Brownwood.
COL John C. White was commissioned from Niagara University in Niagara Falls, NY, where he received his Bachelor’s of Science in Business Administration in 1989. COL White earned his Master’s of Science in Human Resource Management from Webster’s University in 2001 and a Master’s of Science in National Security Strategy from the National Defense University in 2012. He is a graduate of the Aviation Officer Basic and Advanced Courses, Command and General Staff College, National War College, Pathfinder School, Airborne School, Air Assault School, the 82nd Airborne Division Jumpmaster School, the Initial Entry Rotary Wing Course, the Aeroscout Course, the AH-64A and Longbow Apache Helicopter Qualification Courses.
COL White’s military experience includes a variety of command and staff assignments both in and out of the aviation branch. Following his initial aviation training he was assigned to Fort Bragg, NC where he served as the Executive Officer of Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 82nd Aviation Brigade which included a combat deployment in support of Operations Desert Shield and Storm. Following the deployment he served as an Aeroscout Platoon Leader and Assistant Operations Officer in 1st Battalion, 82nd Aviation Brigade. Following the Aviation Officers Advanced Course and AH-64A Apache qualification course, COL White served as the Commander of Bravo Company, 5th Battalion, 501st Aviation Regiment at Camp Eagle, Republic of South Korea in 1995-1996.
Upon return to the United States, COL White was again assigned to Fort Bragg, NC where he served as the Battalion Intelligence Officer and Commander of HHC, 3rd Battalion, 229th Aviation Regiment. COL White was then assigned to Fort Leavenworth, KS with the Center for Army Lessons Learned and also attended the Command and General Staff College. In 2001 he was assigned to Fort Campbell, KY where he served as the S3 for 3rd Battalion, 101st Aviation Regiment. He deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, initially as the S3 of Task Force Talon during Operation Anaconda and then back to 3rd Battalion when that unit deployed. Following this deployment he returned to the United States and deployed again in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. COL White completed this deployment as the Executive Officer of the 101st Aviation Brigade. From 2004-2007 COL White served as a strategist on the Army Staff in the G-3/5/7’s Initiative Group and later served as the Assistant Executive Officer to the G-3/5/7. In 2007, COL White assumed command of the 3rd Battalion, 101st Aviation Regiment. From November 2008 to November 2009, COL White commanded Task Force Attack, a multifunctional Aviation Task Force, at FOB Salerno, Khowst Province, Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. His Task Force, comprised of AH-64D Apaches, UH-60M Blackhawks, OH-58D Kiowa Warriors, CH-47D Chinooks and UH-60A MEDEVAC aircraft was in direct support to 4th Brigade, 101st Airborne Division and later 4th Brigade, 25th Infantry Division. His area of operations included Khowst, Paktya and Paktika Provinces. Following command, COL White served as a Legislative Liaison for the Army’s Office of the Chief of Legislative Liaison and graduated from the National War College at Ft. McNair, Washington DC in May of 2012. Most recently, COL White served as the Aviation Transformation Division Chief in HQDA G-3/5/7 in Washington, DC.
COL White’s awards and decorations include the Bronze Star (with Two Oak Leaf Clusters), Meritorious Service Medal (with Four Oak Leaf Clusters), the Air Medal (with Numeral Four), Army Commendation Medal (with Three Oak Leaf Clusters), Army Achievement Medal (with Two Oak Leaf Clusters), National Defense Service Medal ( with Bronze Service Star), Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Southwest Asia Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Iraqi Campaign Medal, Global War on Terror Expeditionary Medal, NATO Medal, the Kuwait Liberation Medal (Saudi Arabia and Kuwait), the Meritorious Unit Citation and Superior Unit Award. COL White also earned the Combat Action Badge, Senior Army Aviator Badge, Senior Parachutist Badge, Air Assault Badge, the Pathfinder Torch and the Army Staff Identification Badge.
Pictured is COL White shaking hands with Dr. Kelly after he arrived in Brownwood.
