Gen. Bryan "Doug" Brown, USA (Retired)

Gen. Bryan "Doug" Brown served as the Commander of U. S. Special Operations
Command (USSOCOM), MacDill Air Force Base, Florida. USSOCOM is responsible
for all Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps Special Operations Forces, and is
Department of Defense's lead command for planning and synchronizing the Global
War on Terrorism. Gen. Brown entered the Army in 1967 as a private in the Infantry.
He immediately entered training for Special Forces. After completing the Qualification
Course, he served on an "A Team" in the 7th Special Forces Group at Fort Bragg,
North Carolina. After completion of Officer Candidate School, he attended Army
Flight School at Fort Rucker, Alabama. Gen. Brown served at all levels of command
and staff to include three company commands and two battalion commands. Gen.
Brown also commanded the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment.

As a general officer, he served as Assistant Division Commander (Maneuver), 1st
Infantry Division (The Big Red One), Fort Riley, Kansas, and then returned to Special
Operations as the Director of Plans, Policy, and Strategic Assessments at U. S.
Special Operations Command, MacDill AFB, Florida. Gen. Brown then assumed
command of Joint Special Operations Command, Fort Bragg, North Carolina, and
later U. S. Army Special Operations Command, Fort Bragg, North Carolina.

During his career, he was involved in combat operations in V ietnam, Operation Urgent
Fury (Grenada), Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm, and others. Gen. Brown
was the first member of the Army's Aviation Branch to be promoted to the rank of four-
star General. Gen. Brown is a graduate of the Harvard Executive Education Program's
National and International Security Managers Course. He has a Bachelor's Degree from
Cameron University and a Master's Degree in Business from Webster University.

His awards and decorations include the Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit,
Distinguished Flying Cross, Bronze Star Medal, and the Air Medal with "V" Device. He
also wears the Special Forces Tab, Master Army Aviator Badge, Military Free Fall
Parachutist Badge, and the Air Assault Badge. Gen. Brown is also a recipient of the
Ellis Island Medal of Honor, and was selected as the Congressional Medal of Honor
Society Patriot of the Year for 2007. Gen. Brown is married to Penelope Brown and they
have two daughters--Tracy and Shannon. Gen. Brown retired on September 1, 2007,
after 40 years of service.