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| Lt. Gen. Thomas S. Vandal, second from left, the new commander of the Eighth U.S. Army, receives the Army's flag from Gen. Curtis Scaparrotti, U.S. Forces Korea commander, given by his predecessor Lt. Gen. Bernard Champoux, right, during a ceremony at Yongsan Garrison in central Seoul, Tuesday, to mark both his inauguration and his predecessor's departure. / Yonhap |
By Jun Ji-hye
Lt. Gen. Thomas S. Vandal, new commander of the Eighth U.S. Army, vowed Tuesday to maintain a firm readiness posture against North Korean provocations.
During a change of command ceremony at the Eighth Army Headquarters in Yongsan Garrison, central Seoul, Vandal also reaffirmed the "unshakable" alliance between South Korea and the U.S.
Promoted to lieutenant general on the same day, Vandal replaced Lt. Gen. Bernard Champoux who had held the position since June 2013.
The ceremony was attended by some 300 figures from the two countries, including U.S. Ambassador to Korea Mark Lippert, Commander of the United States Forces Korea (USFK) and ROK-U.S. Combined Forces Command (CFC) Gen. Curtis M. Scaparrotti and CFC deputy commander Gen. Kim Hyun-jip.
Retired Army Gen. Paik Sun-yup, the honorary commander of the Eighth U.S. Army, was also present.
"I am humbled and honored to assume my responsibilities today as the 33rd commander of the Eighth Army," Vandal said during an inaugural address. "Because of soldiers like you who are ready to protect and defend freedom, coupled with our steadfast partnership with the Korean people, the alliance between our two great nations is unshakeable.
"You have my commitment that we will work together to continue tough, realistic training with our ROK partners so that we remain ready to fight tonight."
The new commander said that he is fully committed to his mission as well as the alliance with Seoul, vowing to ensure the stability and security of the Korean Peninsula.
His inauguration comes amid growing tensions here over the possibility that North Korea may fire a long-range missile soon in the wake of its fourth nuclear test on Jan. 6.
Following the test, Seoul and Washington have been working closely together to deter any additional provocations from Pyongyang, including the dispatch of a U.S. strategic nuclear-capable B-52 bomber to the South in a show of force.
Vandal noted, "I have been stationed around the globe over my military career, and I can personally attest that there isn't a more generous culture, nor stronger alliance than that between our two nations," stressing that the Eighth Army is "strong and getting stronger."
A native of Rhode Island, Lt. Gen. Vandal graduated from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point in 1982 where he was commissioned a second lieutenant in field artillery.
From June 2013 to April 2015, he served as commanding general of the 2nd Infantry Division (2ID) of the Eighth U.S. Army, stationed north of Seoul.
He recently completed his duties as the assistant chief of staff for operations at the United Nations Command, the CFC and the USFK.
His three sons also serve in the military ― U.S. Marine Corps Captain Nicholas Vandal, Air Force Captain Eric Vandal and Navy Lieutenant Junior Grade Stephen Vandal.
Follow Jun Ji-hye on Twitter @TheKopJihye
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