General Charles Flynn, brother of Michael Flynn, Assumes Command over Army Pacific
In a 4 June ceremony held in Hawaii, General Charles Flynn assumed command over US Army Pacific. General Flynn is the younger brother of President Trump’s controversial National Security advisor Michael Flynn who was accused of lying about his dealings with Russian ambassador Sergei Kisylak and, following the results of the 2020 election, urged Trump to suspend the constitution. Most recently, he said in a conference that what happened in Myanmar should happen in the United States. Before his partisan shift, Michael Flynn also served in the army achieving the rank of Lieutenant General and was director of the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) during the Obama administration’s term in office.
Michael Flynn’s brother, Charles, meanwhile is a much less controversial figure. He was given command of the Hawaii-based 25th Infantry Division in 2014 and since 2016 served as the deputy commander for US Army Pacific. Earlier in his career, he commanded a Ranger company in the Gulf War. Despite his family ties, the general managed to secure the confidence of both Democratic and Republican senators in Congress. Army Chief of Staff General James McConville expressed confidence in Flynn as a leader:
“I know that General Flynn will continue to make sure that this command and these soldiers are ready to fight tonight and continue the momentum of delivering new capabilities for the future. General Flynn is a proven leader that can work in an inter-agency, multi-national environment. He understands the importance of this region.”
In his own address, Flynn focused on cooperation with allies, working with civilian leaders, promoting human rights, countering China’s activities and continuing to work on transforming the army into a force ready for a modern great-power clash.
Flynn took over the post from General Paul LaCamera who commanded US Army Pacific since 2019. His assent comes just over a month after Admiral John Aquilino took control of USINDOPACOM from Admiral Phillip Davidson on 30 Aprilh. The shake up of commanders in the Pacific is not over yet, however, as General LaCamera is set to replace the current commander of US Army Korea, General Robert Abrams.