Brig. Gen. Leo Brooks, Jr.
U.S. Army Brigadier General (Ret.) Leo A. Brooks, Jr. was born on August 15, 1957 in Anchorage, Alaska. Brooks was born into a military family. His father, Leo A. Brooks, Sr., was a Brigadier General in the U.S. Army; his mother, Naomi, was a schoolteacher. Brooks’ younger brother, Vincent K. Brooks, serves as a Four Star General in the U.S. Army; his sister, Marquita, a lawyer. After graduating from the all-male Jesuit High School in Sacramento, California in 1975, Brooks enrolled in the United States Military Academy at West Point and received his B.S. degree in engineering in 1979.
In 1980, Brooks began his military career as a rifle and anti-tank platoon leader with the 101st Airborne Division, and then served as aide-de-camp to the Assistant Division Commander for Operations. From 1986 to 1988, Brooks was assigned to the 1st Battalion’s 75th Infantry Ranger Regiment with duty as a logistics officer and then as commander of A Company. He graduated with his M.A. degree in public administration from the University of Oklahoma in 1990. He was then deployed to the Republic of Korea where he served as part of the Joint Staff of the Combined Forces Command as a ground operations officer. In 1992, Brooks completed the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College.
Brooks then reported to Fort Bragg, North Carolina in 1993 for duty with the 82nd Airborne Division where he was assigned as an executive officer in the 1st Battalion, 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment. He then became deputy operations officer the Division. After serving as aide-de-camp to the Chief of Staff of the United States Army, General Gordon R. Sullivan, Brooks was named commander of the 1st Battalion, 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, and Chief of Operations for the XVIII Airborne Corps. He completed the U.S. Army War College in 1999 and then was deployed to Europe as Deputy Commanding General of the 1st Armored Division, U.S. Army Europe and Seventh Army in Germany. In 2002, Brooks was appointed Commandant of Cadets at the United States Military Academy and then served as a senior fellow in the Maxwell School of Government at Syracuse University. Brooks then served as Vice Director of Army Staff until retiring in 2006. He went on to become vice president of the National Security & Space Group for the Boeing Company in Washington, D.C.
Brooks served on the board of trustees of Norwich University; the board of directors of the District of Columbia College Access Program; and, the advisory board of directors of the Association of the United States Army. His military awards include the Distinguished Service Medal, the Legion of Merit with Two Oak Leaf Clusters, the National Defense Medal and Bronze Star, the War on Terrorism Service Medal, and the Korea Defense Service Medal.
U.S. Army Brigadier General (Ret.) Leo A. Brooks, Jr. was interviewed by The HistoryMakers on July 23, 2013.
A2013.168
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7/23/2013
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Anchorage
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Alaska
Shenandoah Valley, Virginia
I'll help you if you let me.
District of Columbia
8/15/1957
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Chicken Tenders
Brigadier general Brig. Gen. Leo Brooks, Jr. (1957 - ) graduated from the United States Military Academy (USMA) at West Point and served in several command assignments; including as the Commander of airborne brigades in the 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions; the Deputy Commanding General of the 1st Armored Division in Germany; and, the Commandant of Cadets at the USMA.
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<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/36332">Tape: 1 Slating of Leo Brooks, Jr.'s interview</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/36333">Tape: 1 Leo Brooks, Jr. lists his favorites</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/36334">Tape: 1 Leo Brooks, Jr. describes his mother's family background</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/36335">Tape: 1 Leo Brooks, Jr. talks about his maternal grandparents</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/36336">Tape: 1 Leo Brooks, Jr. talks about his mother's growing up in Alexandria, Virginia, her education and career</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/36337">Tape: 1 Leo Brooks, Jr. describes his father's family background</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/36338">Tape: 1 Leo Brooks, Jr. describes his family's interest in music</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/36339">Tape: 1 Leo Brooks, Jr. talks about his paternal grandfather</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/36340">Tape: 1 Leo Brooks, Jr. talks about his father's growing up in Virginia, and his family's education</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/36341">Tape: 1 Leo Brooks, Jr. talks about his parents dating while at Virginia State College and getting married after his mother graduated from college</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/36342">Tape: 2 Leo Brooks, Jr. talks about his uncle, Jimmy Lewis' career in basketball, and his family's induction into the Alexandria African American Hall of Fame</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/36343">Tape: 2 Leo Brooks, Jr. discusses his father's retirement from the U.S. military</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/36344">Tape: 2 Leo Brooks, Jr. talks about his father's assignment in Anchorage, Alaska</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/36345">Tape: 2 Leo Brooks, Jr. talks about his siblings</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/36346">Tape: 2 Leo Brooks, Jr. talks about his early childhood in Xenia, Ohio</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/36347">Tape: 2 Leo Brooks, Jr. recalls his preschool in Xenia, Ohio</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/36348">Tape: 2 Leo Brooks, Jr. talks about his father leaving for Vietnam, and his memories of living in Arlington, Virginia in the 1960s</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/36349">Tape: 2 Leo Brooks, Jr. describes his childhood at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/36350">Tape: 2 Leo Brooks, Jr. talks about his life in Bryn Mawr Park, Virginia</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/36351">Tape: 2 Leo Brooks, Jr. recalls the aftermath of Dr. Martin Luther King's assassination</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/36352">Tape: 2 Leo Brooks, Jr. describes the sights, sounds and smells of growing up</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/36668">Tape: 3 Leo Brooks, Jr. talks about his close-knit family and spending time with them in Virginia</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/36669">Tape: 3 Leo Brooks, Jr. talks about his teacher, Ms. Adeline Waters, in elementary school, and being mischievous</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/36670">Tape: 3 Leo Brooks, Jr. talks about his interest in sports, playing football in high school, and his football idol, Larry Brown</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/36671">Tape: 3 Leo Brooks, Jr. talks about his experience as an athlete in high school and the support he received from his family</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/36672">Tape: 3 Leo Brooks, Jr. describes his family's move to Sacramento, California where he continued to play football</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/36673">Tape: 3 Leo Brooks, Jr. describes his high school in Sacramento, California</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/36674">Tape: 3 Leo Brooks, Jr. discusses the influence of sports on his military career</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/36675">Tape: 3 Leo Brooks, Jr. talks about the influence of his football coaches</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/36676">Tape: 3 Leo Brooks, Jr. talks about the influence of his track coaches in training him</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/36362">Tape: 4 Leo Brooks, Jr. talks about his academics in high school</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/36363">Tape: 4 Leo Brooks, Jr. describes his decision to attend the United States Military Academy at West Point, pt. 1</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/36364">Tape: 4 Leo Brooks, Jr. describes his decision to attend the United States Military Academy at West Point, pt. 2</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/36365">Tape: 4 Leo Brooks, Jr. talks about graduating from high school in Sacramento, his trip to West Point Military Academy, and his uncle's advice</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/36366">Tape: 4 Leo Brooks, Jr. describes the challenges he faced at the United States Military Academy at West Point</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/36367">Tape: 4 Leo Brooks, Jr. talks about the bond between the athletes at West Point</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/36368">Tape: 4 Leo Brooks, Jr. talks about being criticized at West Point, and proving his leadership skills at Camp Buckner</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/36369">Tape: 5 Leo Brooks, Jr. talks about West Point's honor code and the Academy's admission of women</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/36370">Tape: 5 Leo Brooks, Jr. talks about with West Point's honor code violations and the Borman Commission</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/36371">Tape: 5 Leo Brooks, Jr. talks about his sophomore year at the United States Military Academy at West Point and his mentors there</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/36372">Tape: 5 Leo Brooks, Jr. talks about attending Ranger School and Airborne School, pt. 1</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/36373">Tape: 5 Leo Brooks, Jr. talks about attending Ranger School and Airborne School, pt. 2</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/36374">Tape: 5 Leo Brooks, Jr. talks about staying involved in athletics at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/36375">Tape: 5 Leo Brooks, Jr. talks about his brother, Vincent Brooks, joining him at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/36376">Tape: 5 Leo Brooks, Jr. talks about his playing rugby in his sophomore year at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and his love for the game</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/36377">Tape: 5 Leo Brooks, Jr. talks about his academic, athletic and leadership successes at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/36378">Tape: 5 Leo Brooks, Jr. talks about graduating from West Point in 1979, his friend, Lloyd Darlington, and his surrogate mother, Bobby Pollock</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/36379">Tape: 6 Leo Brooks, Jr. talks about the challenges faced within the U.S. Army in the 1970s</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/36380">Tape: 6 Leo Brooks, Jr. talks about the turnaround of the U.S. Army in the 1980s</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/36381">Tape: 6 Leo Brooks, Jr. talks about becoming the platoon leader of B Company in the 1st Battalion, 503 Infantry, 101st Airborne Division of the U.S. Army</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/36382">Tape: 6 Leo Brooks, Jr. talks about his disciplinary philosophy as the platoon leader of B Company in the 1st Battalion, 503 Infantry</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/36383">Tape: 6 Leo Brooks, Jr. talks about attending Air Assault School and his assignment as aide-de-camp to the Assistant Division Commander for Operations</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/36384">Tape: 6 Leo Brooks, Jr. talks about his appointment as a company commander and other black infantry company commanders</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/36385">Tape: 6 Leo Brooks, Jr. talks about attending Infantry Officer Advance Course with his brother</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/36386">Tape: 6 Leo Brooks, Jr. talks about attending the U.S. Army Jumpmaster School and his assignment to the 1st Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/36387">Tape: 7 Leo Brooks, Jr. describes his experience as a Ranger company commander, pt. 1</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/36388">Tape: 7 Leo Brooks, Jr. describes his experience as a Ranger company commander, pt. 2</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/36389">Tape: 7 Leo Brooks, Jr. talks about his assignment in Korea, and the birth of his four daughters</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/36390">Tape: 7 Leo Brooks, Jr. talks about attending Command and General Staff College in the early 1990s</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/36391">Tape: 7 Leo Brooks, Jr. describes his experience in the 82nd Airborne Division</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/36392">Tape: 7 Leo Brooks, Jr. talks about his assignment as the aide-de-camp of the chief of staff of the U.S. Army</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/36393">Tape: 7 Leo Brooks, Jr. describes his experience as the aide-de-camp of the chief of staff of the U.S. Army, Gordon R. Sullivan, pt. 1</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/36394">Tape: 7 Leo Brooks, Jr. describes his experience as the aide-de-camp of the chief of staff of the U.S. Army, Gordon R. Sullivan, pt. 2</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/36395">Tape: 7 Leo Brooks, Jr. talks about his experience as the commander of the 1st Battalion, 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment and other significant commands</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/36396">Tape: 8 Leo Brooks, Jr. reflects upon the high percentage of African Americans in the United States armed services</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/36397">Tape: 8 Leo Brooks, Jr. talks about becoming a lieutenant colonel, serving as chief of operations for the 18th Airborne Corps and attending the Army War College</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/36398">Tape: 8 Leo Brooks, Jr. talks about being selected to become a brigade commander in the 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/36399">Tape: 8 Leo Brooks, Jr. talks about his assignment as the special assistant to the commanding general, 1st Armor Division in Germany</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/36400">Tape: 8 Leo Brooks, Jr. describes his experience as the special assistant to the commanding general, 1st Armor Division in Germany</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/36401">Tape: 8 Leo Brooks, Jr. describes his experience soon after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, while he was serving with the 1st Armor Division in Germany</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/36402">Tape: 8 Leo Brooks, Jr. describes the U.S. Army's plans for missions in Iraq and Afghanistan in the aftermath of the 9/11 terrorist attacks</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/36403">Tape: 8 Leo Brooks, Jr. talks about being assigned as the chief of staff of the Fifth Corps in Europe, and reassigned as the commandant of cadets at West Point</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/36404">Tape: 8 Leo Brooks, Jr. describes his experience as the commandant of cadets at the United States Military Academy at West Point, pt. 1</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/36405">Tape: 8 Leo Brooks, Jr. describes he roles of the superintendent, the dean and the commandant of cadets at the United States Military Academy at West Point</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/36406">Tape: 8 Leo Brooks, Jr. describes his experience as the commandant of cadets at the United States Military Academy at West Point, pt. 2</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/36677">Tape: 9 Leo Brooks, Jr. talks about the challenges at West Point while he was the commandant of cadets</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/36678">Tape: 9 Leo Brooks, Jr. talks about international students at West Point</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/36679">Tape: 9 Leo Brooks, Jr. talks about his faith in the role of the Army chaplains</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/36680">Tape: 9 Leo Brooks, Jr. reflects upon his disciplinary philosophy of commanding positions in the U.S. Army</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/36681">Tape: 9 Leo Brooks, Jr. reflects upon the high ethical standards and moral codes of the U.S. military and the obligation of all citizens to serve their country</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/36682">Tape: 9 Leo Brooks, Jr. reflects upon some of the challenging rules and regulations of the U.S. military</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/36683">Tape: 9 Leo Brooks, Jr. reflects upon issues of sexual harassment in the U.S. military</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/36684">Tape: 9 Leo Brooks, Jr. discusses his role as the commandant of cadets at the United States Military Academy at West Point</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/36685">Tape: 9 Leo Brooks, Jr. discusses the history of African American cadets at the United States Military Academy at West Point</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/36416">Tape: 10 Leo Brooks, Jr. describes his service as the vice director of the Army staff, pt. 1</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/36417">Tape: 10 Leo Brooks, Jr. describes his service as the vice director of the Army staff, pt. 2</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/36418">Tape: 10 Leo Brooks, Jr. talks about his retirement from the U.S. Army in 2006 and working as the vice president of Army Systems at the Boeing Company</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/36419">Tape: 10 Leo Brooks, Jr. talks about Apache Block III helicopters and his work as vice president of Army Systems at the Boeing Company</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/36420">Tape: 10 Leo Brooks, Jr. talks about his position as the vice president of the National Security and Space Group at the Boeing Company</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/36421">Tape: 10 Leo Brooks, Jr. shares his message to the youth</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/36422">Tape: 10 Leo Brooks, Jr. reflects upon his life and career</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/36423">Tape: 10 Leo Brooks, Jr. talks about his daughters</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/36424">Tape: 11 Leo Brooks, Jr. talks about his youngest daughter, Amanda</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/36425">Tape: 11 Leo Brooks, Jr. reflects upon his professional legacy</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/36426">Tape: 11 Leo Brooks, Jr. acknowledges the support of his family and his faith in God</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/36427">Tape: 11 Leo Brooks, Jr. talks about how he would like to be remembered</a>
<a href="https://da.thehistorymakers.org/story/36428">Tape: 11 Leo Brooks, Jr. describes his photographs</a>
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