From One Stripe to Four Stars

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EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE PAVES THE WAY FOR SUCCESS IN THE RANKS OF THE MILITARY.

When it all started back in 1967, few, probably including himself, would have thought that he would go from a private in the infantry to commanding U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM). But that’s exactly what General B. “Doug” Brown did. He joined the Army in 1967 and started where every young recruit does—as a buck private—and now he commands the agency charged by the U.S. with prosecuting the global war on terror.

Brown put in a few years of on-thejob- education, rising through the ranks to sergeant before earning a lieutenant’s commission through the officer candidate school program in 1970. Cameron University, Lawton, OK, provided more formal education as Brown studied and received a Bachelor of Science degree in history. He continued to harness his education and experience as he advanced through various command and staff levels. He added to his education portfolio with a master’s degree in business from Webster University. Brown is also a graduate of the Harvard Executive Education Program’s National and International Security Managers Course.

Brown was promoted to the rank of brigadier general in March 1996 and achieved his fourth star in November 2003, two months after assuming command at USSOCOM. His career path is a perfect example of professional development by taking advantage of educational opportunities—both civilian and military— and the experience of command. It is not common for someone from the enlisted ranks to achieve what General Brown has, but the path and the opportunities are there. ♦

From One Stripe to Four Stars

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