A 101st Airborne Veteran Takes Over Command Of His Old Division

The 101^st Airborne gets a new commander Thursday. Maj. Gen. Gary Volesky is moving on after multiple deployments, including one to Liberia to help contain the ebola outbreak. Most recently, he’s returned from leading troops in Iraq as they train local forces to defeat ISIS.

The incoming commander is a veteran of the 101
^st. Maj. Gen. Andrew Poppas has spent nearly 30 years in the Army, toggling between assignments with the 101
^st Airborne and the 82
^nd Airborne at Fort Bragg.

At Fort Campbell, Poppas led the division’s 1
^st Brigade in Afghanistan — an assignment for which
he was given the Legion of Merit award from the Pentagon.

He is a
highly decorated officer, including a literal handful of Bronze Stars and a Purple Heart.

Commanding the 101
^st Airborne is often seen as a proving ground before rising to the highest echelons of the Army. Gen. John Campbell,
who recently retired, oversaw all forces in Afghanistan as his last assignment. Former CIA director
David Petraeus did a tour leading troops at Fort Campbell.

The Army says Maj. Gen. Volesky will soon be promoted to Lieutenant General and lead the I Corps at Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington.

Poppas assumes command of the 101
^st Airborne at a ceremony scheduled for Thursday at 10 a.m., which is scheduled to be broadcast via
Facebook Live.