By Melissa Buckley, Fort Leonard Wood Public Affairs Office
FORT LEONARD WOOD, Mo. (May 19, 2023) — The U.S. Army Maneuver Support Center of Excellence and Fort Leonard Wood held a change-of-command ceremony Friday on Gammon Field where Maj. Gen. Jim Bonner relinquished command of the installation to Maj. Gen Christopher Beck.
Lt. Gen. Milford Beagle Jr., U.S. Army Combined Arms Center and Fort Leavenworth commanding general, presided over the ceremony and thanked Bonner for the work he has done here during the past three years.
“I have never seen a leader more positive, more optimistic and more thoughtful than Jim Bonner. Jim is deeply committed to his profession,” Beagle said. “His work ethic is above any that I have ever seen.”
Bonner, who took command of the post June 26, 2020, moves on to his next assignment as deputy commanding general, U.S. Army North, Joint Base San Antonio, Texas.
After relinquishing command Bonner said, “The Army has selected a phenomenal Army family to lead here in the heart of America. To Maj. Gen Chris Beck, we are very confident and excited to see all you and your team will accomplish here. We wish you our best and always know you have a teammate at Army North. I look forward to our continues partnership.”
Beagle told the crowd that ever since Beck was selected to lead MSCoE and Fort Leonard Wood, “I have received many notes, cards and letters telling me about Chris Beck and they have told me what a great leader he is,” Beagle said.
Beck comes to Fort Leonard Wood from his most recent assignment as the deputy commanding general, III Corps, Fort Cavazos, Texas. From August 2017 to June 2018, Beck served as the chief of staff for the Maneuver Support Center of Excellence and Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri.
“Sally and I are truly excited to come back to Fort Leonard Wood and rejoin this great installation and this great community. It is amazing to me how much Fort Leonard Wood does for our Army, as well as our joint force,” Beck said.
Beck’s previous assignments also include commander and division engineer of the Southwestern Division, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; commander and division engineer of the Transatlantic Division, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; and director of the Office of the Chief of Engineers.
Beck received his commission from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point in 1993, graduating with a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering. He holds master’s degrees from the University of Missouri for Science and Technology in Engineering Management; from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in Structural Engineering; and from the U.S. Air Force War College in Strategic Studies.
His awards and decorations include the Distinguished Service Medal, Silver Star Medal, Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medal, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal and Army Achievement Medal.
He is also authorized to wear the Combat Action Badge, the Air Assault Badge, Parachutist Badge and Army Service Identification Badge.
Additional photos from this event can be found on Flickr, at https://www.flickr.com/photos/fortleonardwood/albums/72177720308400066.
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About Fort Leonard Wood
Fort Leonard Wood is a thriving and prosperous installation that has evolved from a small basic training post more than 80 years ago to a premier Army Center of Excellence that trains nearly 80,000 military and civilians each year.
Fort Leonard Wood is home to the U.S Army Maneuver Support Center of Excellence and three U.S. Army schools: the U.S. Army Engineer School; U.S. Army Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear School; and the U.S. Army Military Police School. In addition to training engineer, CBRN and military police specialties for the Army, Fort Leonard Wood also provides gender-integrated in-processing and Basic Combat Training for new Soldiers.
Fort Leonard Wood also hosts and trains with the largest Marine Corps Detachment and Air Force Squadron on any Army installation as well as a large Navy construction detachment.
More information about Fort Leonard Wood is at: https://home.army.mil/wood/index.php/about/mission