Robert B. Abrams

For the New York Attorney General, see Robert Abrams.

Robert B. Abrams
Official portrait, 2018
Nickname(s)	Abe
Born	(1960-11-18) November 18, 1960 (age 64)[1] West Germany (present-day Germany)
Allegiance	United States
Service / branch	United States Army
Years of service	1982–2021
Rank	General
Commands	United Nations Command United States Forces Korea Combined Forces Command United States Army Forces Command 3rd Infantry Division Fort Irwin National Training Center 1st Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division 1st Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment
Battles / wars	Gulf War Iraq War War in Afghanistan
Awards	Defense Distinguished Service Medal (2) Army Distinguished Service Medal (2) Legion of Merit (6) Bronze Star Medal (4)
Spouse(s)	Connie C. Clevenger ​ (m. 1992)​ [2]
Relations	General Creighton W. Abrams Jr. (father) Brigadier General Creighton W. Abrams III (brother) General John N. Abrams (brother)

Robert Bruce Abrams (born 18 November 1960) is a retired four-star general in the United States Army who last served as the commander of United States Forces Korea.^[3] He concurrently served as the commander of United Nations Command and commander of R.O.K.-U.S. Combined Forces Command. He previously served as the 22nd commanding general of United States Army Forces Command from 10 August 2015 to 17 October 2018. He was a 1982 graduate of the United States Military Academy where he was commissioned as an armor officer. During his years of active service, he has held command and staff positions across the Army and joint community in Germany, the United States, Southwest Asia and South Korea. Abrams comes from a family of career military officers. His father was former Army Chief of Staff General Creighton W. Abrams Jr., and both of his elder brothers, Creighton and John, were Army general officers.^[4]

He relinquished command of United States Command, Combined Forces Command and United States Forces Korea to General Paul LaCamera on 2 July 2021 and retired soon after.^[5][6]

Assignments

Abrams (left) with US Secretary of Defense Mark Esper in 2019

Abrams' tours of duty with war-fighting units include the 3rd Armored Division as a lieutenant; the 1st Cavalry Division as a captain, and as a major in the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment, as a lieutenant colonel (including battalion command and as the Division G3) and colonel (including command of a brigade combat team and as the division chief of staff). His joint experience includes serving as a Strategic War Planner for the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff with responsibility for the United States Central Command's Area of Operations; and as the Director of the Joint Center of Excellence for IED Defeat, a subordinate of the Joint Improvised-Threat Defeat Agency (JIDA).

Commands

Abrams has commanded at every level from company through divisional command. His first command was of D Company and Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment. He deployed the company in support of Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. Abrams's next command assignment was at battalion level, with 1st Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division.

Later, Abrams served as the commander of the 1st Brigade Combat Team (Iron Horse), 1st Cavalry Division, where he deployed to East Baghdad, Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom II, as commanding general of Fort Irwin & the National Training Center, and most recently as commanding general of the 3rd Infantry Division at Fort Stewart, Georgia from 2011 to 2013, during which he served as commander of Regional Command South in Kandahar, Afghanistan.

Abrams has extensive operational experience, having served as an operations officer at squadron, regimental and divisional level. Abrams has also served as an instructor, written doctrine and developed training at the United States Army Armor School, and as executive officer to the Commanding General United States Army Europe and Seventh Army.

Abrams's general officer assignments also include service as the Deputy Commanding General, Combined Arms Center-Training, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas and the commander of the National Training Center at Fort Irwin, California.

In 2015, Abrams was assigned as Commanding General, United States Army Forces Command, which oversees all United States Army combat units in the continental United States.

On 11 October 2018, the Senate confirmed his nomination to command United States Forces Korea.^[7] Abrams relinquished command of Army Forces Command to his deputy commander, Lieutenant General Laura Richardson, on 16 October,^[8] and assumed command of United States Forces Korea from General Vincent K. Brooks on 7 November.^[4]

In 2020, Abrams was among the candidates shortlisted to replace Admiral Philip S. Davidson as the commander of United States Indo-Pacific Command,^[9] but Admiral John C. Aquilino was nominated instead.^[10][11][12]

In May 2021, Abrams was bestowed the Korean name Woo Byung-soo^[a] (Korean: 우병수) by the ROK-US Alliance Friendship Association in honor of "his contributions to the alliance and defense of South Korea".^[13]

His retirement ceremony was held on 31 August 2021.^[14]

Education

Abrams gives farewell remarks during the United Nations Command, Combined Forces Command, and U.S. Forces Korea change of command ceremony on 2 July 2021 at Barker Field.

Abrams holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the United States Military Academy, a Master of Science in Administration from Central Michigan University, and a master's degree in Strategic Studies from the United States Army War College.

His military schooling includes the Armor Basic [Cavalry] and Advanced Courses, Basic Airborne Course, Ranger School [Class 5–83], the Combined Arms and Services Staff School, the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, and the Army War College.

Awards and decorations

Medals and awards earned by Abrams include:^[15][16]

Combat Action Badge

Personal Awards

Defense Distinguished Service Medal w/ bronze oak leaf cluster[17]

Army Distinguished Service Medal w/ bronze oak leaf cluster

Legion of Merit w/ one silver oak leaf cluster	Bronze Star Medal w/ three bronze oak leaf clusters	Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal w/ two oak leaf clusters	Joint Service Commendation Medal	Army Commendation Medal w/ three oak leaf clusters
Army Achievement Medal w/ two oak leaf clusters	National Defense Service Medal w/ one bronze service star	Southwest Asia Service Medal w/ three bronze campaign stars
Afghanistan Campaign Medal w/ one campaign star	Iraq Campaign Medal w/ two campaign stars	Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Army Service Ribbon	Army Overseas Service Ribbon w/ bronze award numeral 4	NATO Medal for Service with ISAF
Order of National Security Merit (1st Grade)[18]	Kuwait Liberation Medal (Saudi Arabia)	Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait)

Unit Awards

Joint Meritorious Unit Award w/ 4 oak leaf clusters

Valorous Unit Award

Meritorious Unit Commendation

Identification and service badges

8th Cavalry Regiment Distinctive Unit Insignia	Basic Parachutist Badge	Ranger tab
1st Cavalry Division Combat Service Identification Badge[19]	Office of the Secretary of Defense Identification Badge	Joint Chiefs of Staff Identification Badge

United Nations Command Badge[19]

4 Overseas Service Bars

Notes

1. In this Korean name, the family name is Woo.

References

1. "Register of Graduates and Former Cadets of the United States Military Academy". Association of Graduates, USMA. 18 July 1991 – via Google Books.
2. Kentucky, U.S., Marriage Index, 1973-1999.
3. "Commander UNC/CFC/USFK - Gen. Robert B. Abrams". www.usfk.mil. Retrieved 22 December 2020.
4. Gamel, Kim (7 November 2018). "Abrams takes command of USFK amid nuclear talks with North Korea". Stars and Stripes. Retrieved 22 December 2020.
5. "WEBCAST: USFK CHANGE OF COMMAND". DVIDS. Retrieved 28 June 2021.
6. Oh Seok-min; Choi Soo-hyang (2 July 2021). "Gen. LaCamera takes office as new U.S. Forces Korea chief". Yonhap News Agency.
7. Kheel, Rebecca (12 October 2017). "U.S. commanders for troops in South Korea, South America confirmed by Senate". The Hill. Retrieved 13 October 2017.
8. Meinhardt, Eve (17 October 2018). "Abrams relinquishes command of FORSCOM". www.army.mil. Retrieved 22 December 2020.
9. LaGrone, Sam (3 December 2020). "PACFLT Commander Aquilino Formally Nominated to Lead INDO-PACOM". USNI News. Retrieved 7 December 2020.
10. Lubold, Gordon; Youssef, Nancy A. (30 November 2020). "Trump Expected to Name New Indo-Pacific Command Head". The Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Retrieved 1 December 2020.
11. "Flag Officer Announcement". U.S. Department of Defense. 3 December 2020. Retrieved 3 December 2020.
12. "PN2393 - Adm. John C. Aquilino - Navy, 116th Congress (2019-2020)". www.congress.gov. 2 December 2020. Retrieved 3 December 2020.
13. "US Forces Korea commander to receive Korean name at farewell event". The Korea Times. 6 May 2021. Retrieved 30 June 2021.
14. "WEBCAST: SPECIAL RETIREMENT REVIEW IN HONOR OF GENERAL ROBERT ABRAMS". DVIDS. Retrieved 26 August 2021.
15. "BG Abrams Bio" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 October 2011.
16. "BG Abrams bio on DoD" (PDF).
17. "UNC / CFC / USFK Change of Command". Flickr. 2 July 2021.
18. Nam Hyun-woo (1 July 2021). "President honors outgoing USFK commander for his service". The Korea Times.
19. "USFK Change of Command". DoD.

External links

• Appearances on C-SPAN

Military offices
Preceded by Dana J.H. Pittard	Commanding General of the Fort Irwin National Training Center 2009-2011	Succeeded by Terry R. Ferrell
Preceded by Tony Cucolo	Commanding General of the 3rd Infantry Division 2011–2013	Succeeded by John M. Murray
Preceded by Thomas D. Waldhauser	Senior Military Assistant to the Secretary of Defense 2013–2015	Succeeded by Ronald F. Lewis
Preceded by Mark A. Milley	Commanding General of United States Army Forces Command 2015–2018	Succeeded by Michael X. Garrett
Preceded by Vincent K. Brooks	Commander of United Nations Command Commander of United States Forces Korea Commander of ROK/US Combined Forces Command 2018–2021	Succeeded by Paul LaCamera