Story and photo by Sgt. 1st Class Sheryl L. Lawry
Chief of Public Affairs, 500th Military Intelligence Brigade

SCHOFIELD BARRACKS, Hawaii (January 25, 2008)— Soldiers of the 500th Military Intelligence Brigade were won over by Maj. Gen. David Lacquement, the new commanding general of the U.S. Army Intelligence and Security Command, when he visited Jan. 7 through 17 as part of a scheduled tour of each area of responsibility he now commands.

 Lacquement first stopped in Japan to visit the 441st Battalion, 500th MI Bde. While there, he was briefed about the battalion's current and future operations, met with members of the Asian Studies Department and hosted a luncheon with several of the battalion's Soldiers.

Soldiers were apprehensive of Lacquement at first, but soon relaxed – asking him questions that ranged from how the war in Iraq was going to the brigade's future.

For young Soldiers like Pvt. Jerry McMillon, just having a two star take time out of his day to eat with everyone was significant.

 "I feel really good about him being here," he said. "It's very rare that you get to eat with the commanding general and the brigade commander at once. To have that is big."

Continuing his tour, Lacquement then traveled to Hawaii to visit the 500th MI Brigade headquarters, two additional battalions – the 205th MI Battalion and 732nd MI Battalion - and meet many more Soldiers with his own personalized touch.
 

"It was a great experience for me to see General Lacquement and how he interacted with everyone," said Cpt. Isabel Nazareth, Headquarters Company commander for the 500th MI Brigade. "As vast as his duties are, managing organizational level issues, he took the time to know our names."

A simple sentiment that won over the Soldiers he encountered.