COLUMBIA, S.C. — Lt. General Milford Beagle can say without question, more than 100 years ago he had a relative lay the groundwork for his success today.
His great grandfather walked through gates, of what at that time was Camp Jackson, in 1918.
Private Beagle wore his uniform in a segregated Army. He had no idea that one day that military instillation would be led by his great-grandson.
The table was set for General Beagle so, he could move forward with the same type of deliberate attention to paving a path for others.
Beagle credits the effort by his great-grandfather and many others who came into the Army for leveling the playing field so that he can serve the country in the capacity he is in now.
His great-grandfather was not allowed to fight in combat units, which is in stark contrast to the service General Beagle has as an officer.
The phrase "a seat at the table" means “Diversity, inclusion and belonging,” to General Beagle.
He says, “diversity means having a seat at the table, inclusion means having a voice there and it all comes together when you belong and you’re able to have your voice heard.”
Beagle says he sees what some would consider the weight of responsibility in his position, as a responsibility to represent and be an example of what happens when hard work pays off.
In reference to his young soldiers, General Beagle says someone is always looking and that is something he embraces. He believes the big shift in the Army has changed to recognizing that people are the number one priority, and everyone can go as far as they want based on their merit.
Beagle says his goal is to improve on everything and he works to accomplish that goal by journaling every day.
He says, you should never stop trying to improve.
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“It’s not about the seeds we plant, it’s about the crop that someone else will harvest over time.”, is a phrase Beagle says he shares often with his team.
After almost 3 years at Fort Jackson he says his hope has always been to plant seeds that someone else can harvest in a big way.
Beagle says the call to find out that he would be at Fort Jackson was like winning the lottery. He appreciates the huge safety net of being at home and takes pride in knowing he’s doing a good job on his “home court.”
Here’s how the US Army describes Milford Beagle(editor's note: Beagle is now a three-star Lieutenant General): “Brigadier General Milford “Beags” Beagle Jr., became the 51st Commanding General for the U.S. Army Training Center, U.S. Training and Doctrine Command on Jun. 22, 2018. Beagle is responsible for annually transforming 47,000 civilian volunteers into Soldiers who are disciplined, fit, grounded in Army values, and combat ready. He also serves as the Senior Commander of Fort Jackson, South Carolina.
Prior to his arrival at Fort Jackson, Brig. Gen. Beagle served as the Deputy Commanding General for Support, 10th Mountain Division (Light), Fort Drum, New York-- forward deployed in support of Operation Inherent Resolve, Kuwait from 2017-2018
Throughout his career, Beagle has led and commanded troops at every echelon in the Army from platoon to division from 1991-2018. He has soldiered with five regiments, the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard), the 6th Infantry, the 9th Infantry, 35th Infantry and the 41st Infantry Regiment, and with five divisions, the 2nd Infantry Division, the 2nd Armored Division, the 5th Infantry Division, the 10th Mountain Division (Light), and the 25th Infantry Division.
His key staff assignments include service as a planner and operations officer at battalion, brigade, and Chief Plans Branch, G3, Eighth Army, Republic of Korea from 2003-2004. On the Joint and Army Staff, he served as the Joint Strategic Planner and later Executive Assistant to the Director, J-7, Joint Staff, in Washington, DC from 2006-2008, Deputy Director, Army Staff, North Atlantic Treaty Organization Training Mission-Afghanistan/Combined Security Transition Command-Afghanistan, Operation Enduring Freedom, Afghanistan from 2010-2011 and Chief, J-5, Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Organization, Washington, DC 2012-2014 and Executive Officer to the Vice Chief of Staff of the Army, Washington, DC from 2016-2017.
Brig. Gen. Beagle’s combat and operational experience include Operation Iraqi Freedom, Iraq from 2004-2005 and Operation Enduring Freedom, Afghanistan from 2010-2011.
Beagle is a native of Enoree, South Carolina, and received his commissioned in the Infantry after graduating from South Carolina State University in 1990 as a distinguished military graduate.
He holds a bachelor’s degree and two master’s degrees from Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas and the United States Army School of Advanced Military Studies from Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.
His awards and badges include the Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit (third award), Bronze Star Medal, Defense Meritorious Service Medal (second award) and the Meritorious Service Medal (fifth award). He also earned the Combat Infantryman Badge, Parachutist Badge, Air Assault Badge, Ranger Tab, Pathfinder Badge and the Army Staff Identification Badge.
Brigadier General Beagle is married and has two children.