Fort Sill to welcome new commander

The Fires Center of Excellence and Fort Sill will welcome a new commanding general on July 20 when Maj. Gen. Winston P. Brooks assumes command.

Brooks will replace former Fort Sill commander Maj. Gen. Ken Kamper, who was suspended from duty in February following allegations of violating hunting rules on post. In June, Kamper was officially relieved of his duties “due to a loss of trust and confidence in his ability to command,” according to a statement by Cynthia O. Smith, Army spokesperson.

Kamper took over as Fort Sill commander on March 6, 2020.

Brig. Gen. Shane Morgan, who was commandant of the Field Artillery School, was interim commander while the investigation into Kamper as conducted.

Brooks is no stranger to Fort Sill having taken the Field Artillery Basic and Advanced Courses as a young officer in the early ‘90s. He also was the United States Field Artillery School Commandant from June 2020 to May 2021.

Brooks is a graduate of Memphis State University and received a master’s degree from the United States Army Command and General Staff College. He also was a Senior Service College Fellow at Texas A&M University from 2014-2015.

The general’s first assignment was as a platoon leader with the storied 333rd Field Artillery Battalion in Germany and has spanned the globe with assignments in Bosnia- Herzegovina; Fort Benning, Ga.; Fort Irwin, Calif.; Iraq; Fort Hood, Texas; Fort Bliss, Texas; Washington, D.C.; and Poland. He is returning to Fort Sill from England as the Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations, Allied Rapid Reaction Corps, North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

The Assumption of Command Ceremony for Brooks is set for 8 a.m. July 20 on the Old Post Quadrangle. Lt. Gen. Milford H. Beagle, U.S. Army Combined Arms Center commanding general, will officiate.