Brig. Gen. Joseph Hilbert, the outgoing commander of 7th Army Training Command, passes the colors to Gen. Darryl Williams, U.S. Army Europe and Africa commander, during the unit's change of command ceremony at Grafenwoehr, Germany, June 20, 2023. The 7th ATC's new commander, Brig. Gen. Steven Carpenter, watches, third from right. (Facebook/7th Army Training Command)
GRAFENWOEHR, Germany — The largest Army overseas command charged with training U.S. troops and getting them ready to fight alongside allies gained a new leader during a ceremony Tuesday.
Brig. Gen. Steven Carpenter, the former deputy commanding general for the 1st Cavalry Division in Fort Cavazos, Texas, took command of the 7th Army Training Command from Brig. Gen. Joseph Hilbert.
The scheduled change comes as the command and the sprawling training grounds in Bavaria have risen in prominence, following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine last year and NATO’s expanded efforts to reinforce its eastern flank.
The 7th ATC provides the resources for multinational troops, including Ukrainians learning how to use Western weaponry, to hone their combat skills.
Carpenter is a father of five who brings with him a wealth of professional experience, having commanded units in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Brig. Gen. Steven Carpenter speaks after he took command of the 7th Army Training Command from Brig. Gen. Joseph Hilbert during a ceremony at Grafenwoehr, Germany, June 20, 2023. (Facebook/7th Army Training Command)
“As we build toward the Army of 2030, [Carpenter] is the perfect man for the job,” Gen. Darryl Williams, U.S. Army Europe and Africa commander, said at the ceremony. “I look forward to facing these challenges with you.”
Carpenter in his remarks called being in the Army the “ultimate team sport, the ultimate performance profession, where winning matters.”
“In this game, you’re either winning, or you’re losing,” he said. “Better said, you’re either winning or you’re dying, especially as we’ve been in large-scale combat, which is absolutely unrelenting.”
Hilbert had commanded the 7th ATC since June 2021 and is headed to Washington to become the Army’s director of force development.
Hilbert delivered part of his speech in German, thanking the community and distinguished guests, just after expressing appreciation to several soldiers and units. But he reserved a special dedication for Lt. Gen. Yevhen Moisiuk, deputy commander of Ukraine’s military.
“Training with your armed forces has been absolutely the highlight of my time here. … We are honored to be able to endeavor with you, and I promise you as I depart, when I head back to the United States, I will tell your story. Slava Ukraini,” said Hilbert, using the phrase for Ukraine’s national salute, which translates to “Glory to Ukraine.”
