Army promotes first Vietnamese-American general

photo Fort Hood commander, Lt. Gen. Mark Milley adjusts the commanders belt on the waist of Col. Viet Luong during his promotion ceremony, Wednesday, Aug. 6, 2014 as his son Brandon Luong, 17, watches. Luong has become the first Vietnamese-American to reach the rank of general in the U.S. Army.

FORT HOOD, Texas - A Fort Hood officer has become the first Vietnamese-American to reach the rank of general in the U.S. Army.

Col. Viet Luong received his brigadier general's stars at a Fort Hood ceremony Wednesday from the Fort Hood commander, Lt. Gen. Mark Milley.

A statement from the military base says Luong was 10 years old when his family fled Vietnam in 1975 and settled in the United States. Today, he is the 1st Cavalry Division deputy commanding general for maneuver and the first Vietnamese-born officer to reach the position of general staff or flag officer in the U.S. military.

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