Major General Leslie Carroll
Major General Leslie Carroll, chief of staff, U.S. Army Forces Command, will represent the Army as parade marshal in the 65th annual Chattanooga-Hamilton County Armed Forces Day Parade. He will then give the keynote address to several hundred civilian and military guests at the Armed Forces Day luncheon immediately following the parade.
His remarks will include information about the Army’s response to cuts in defense spending that will reduce the Army to its smallest size since before World War II. The public is invited to attend the May 2 parade at 10:30 a.m., and tables to the noon luncheon at the Convention and Trade Center are available for purchase.
Major General Carroll became the chief of staff, U.S. Army Forces Command, Fort Bragg, N.C., in July 2012. Forces Command trains, mobilizes, deploys, sustains, transforms and reconstitutes conventional forces, numbering approximately 780,000 soldiers and 3,500 civilian staff members. Its mission is to provide trained and ready land power to combatant commanders worldwide in defense of the nation at home and abroad. Major General Carroll began his military career at Fort Benning and has served in Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Afghanistan.
“Major General Carroll participation in the Armed Forces Day celebration is a real honor for Chattanooga,” said Rear Admiral Noah Long, Jr. “His message at the luncheon is an important one for all of us; as citizens we should be informed about the impacts of military downsizing. Major General Carroll is in the know about what’s happening and can offer a clear picture of what the Army is doing to retain operational readiness in the face of major change.”
Businesses and organizations are invited to purchase a table for seven at the luncheon for $200. The eighth seat at each table is reserved for uniformed military personnel. To make a reservation, please contact Noah Long at 866-3820 or noahlong.mil@gmail.com.