Freedom Shield

An exercise set to reflect the Korea Theater of Operations – a combined, joint, all-domain, and interagency operating environment. This annual exercise aims to build understanding between Combined Forces Command, United States Forces Korea, the United Nations Command, and ROK Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS), ensuring their ability to fortify the combined defense posture and enhance Alliance response capabilities against a spectrum of security threats. It will feature live, virtual, constructive and field-based training, engaging personnel from the various military services.

Videos

Video by Sgt. Rhianna Ballenger, Spc. Semaj Johnson, Sgt. Jessica Rutledge

Retirement Ceremony in Honor of Brig. Gen. Charles R. Parker

Joint Task Force-National Capital Region and the U.S. Army Military District of Washington

July 28, 2023 | 41:34

Brig. Gen. Charles R. Parker was recognized for his 29 years of service in the United States Army during a General Officer retirement ceremony conducted by the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard) and The U.S. Army Band "Pershing's Own" ceremonial units of the U.S. Army Military District of Washington (MDW) held at Conmy Hall, Fort Myer, Virginia, June 28, 2023. Brigadier General Charles R. “Rob” Parker serves as the Commanding General (CG), U.S.Army 7th Signal Command (Theater) and Deputy Commanding General (DCG), U.S. Army Network Enterprise Technology Command (NETCOM). BG Parker commands a nationwide workforce of more than 6,000 Soldiers and civilians across the continental United States conducting DoD Information Network Operations to enable all warfighting functions for the Army and Joint Force.

BG Parker received his commission into the U.S. Army Signal Corps in 1993 at North Georgia College through the ROTC program. Throughout his Company Grade and early Field Grade years he served in a variety of locations including extensive time in Alaska, Europe and various deployed combat locations. Formative assignments included time as the Secretary of General Staff, Aide de Camp and Executive Officer to the CG, NETCOM; Battalion S6, 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (SOAR); and Deputy Commanding Officer, Task Force Signal, Operation Enduring Freedom. Following his promotion to Colonel and graduation from the United States Army War College in 2014, he served as the G-6, III Armored Corps at Fort Hood, Texas, deploying with the Corps to CJTF-Operation Inherent Resolve (OIR) where he served as the CJ6 from 2015-2016. He next served as the last Commander of the 5th Signal Command (Theater) in support of all Army forces in Europe and Africa from 2016-2017, then as the Chief Information Officer and G-6, United States Army – Europe. Selected for promotion to BG shortly after arriving at the Pentagon in 2018, he first served as Chief, Mission Command Division, Department of the Army Headquarters G-8 where he managed a modernization portfolio in excess of $22 billion, and later transitioned to Director, Joint & Integration, also within the HQDA G-8. Most recently, BG Parker served as the acting Vice and Deputy Director, J-6 on the Joint Staff. In this role, he served as Chair of the Deputy Secretary of Defense’s Joint All-Domain Command & Control – Cross Functional Team (JADC2-CFT), and separately as lead for the Vice Chairman of the Joint Staff’s C4/Cyber Functional Capabilities Board in direct support to the Joint Requirements Oversight Board (JROC).

BG Parker holds a Bachelor of Science in biology from North Georgia College, a Master of Science in telecommunications management, and a Master of Strategic Studies. He is a graduate of the Army Force Integration Course, Joint C4 Systems Planner’s Course, Army Basic Parachutist Course, the U.S. Navy’s Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape course (SERE), and the Army’s Northern Warfare Course in Alaska.