Brigadier General Gary Brito: A message to the youth of Hyannis…
HYANNIS – Thanks to Barnstable Police Patrolman Brian Morrison, HN was able to catch up to and speak with Hyannis native and U.S. Army Brigadier General Gary Brito late last evening during a telephone call.
Right off the bat he told me to call him ‘Gary’ instead of General… but out of respect for his accomplishments and rank, I will still refer to him as General Brito at times during this article.
Gary Brito graduated from Barnstable High School in 1982. He also played football for the BHS Red Raiders when I happened to be an underclassman at the very same school.
We talked briefly about some of his teammates, mutual friends, and Thanksgiving Day victories against our rival Falmouth High School.
In 1981, Red Raider football was as intense as it ever was. Big games and big victories were always front page news. It seemed the entire town came out to cheer on high school sports in those days… It was a great time to grow up in Hyannis.
I managed to dig up and borrow the following photo of Gary Brito at redraiderpride.com:
General Brito returns home to HyTown to visit friends and family as often as he can. It was obvious he has fond memories of his youth and that Hyannis holds a special place in his heart.
General Brito is also very aware and concerned about some of the challenges facing today’s young people in Hyannis.
Our late evening conversation was “last minute” and impromptu and I didn’t want to detain the General for too long (although something tells me that if I needed a longer interview he would have happily sacrificed and obliged). I simply asked if he had a message for the young people of Hyannis.
Without missing a beat, General Brito shared some key points and words of advice that helped him reach his goals as he moved towards becoming one of the highest ranking military officers in the nation. He then took the time to type out a brief message and forward it to my email address.
I would like to share General Brito’s email in its entirety; it specifically addresses the youth of Hyannis; in it the General lays out a simple yet powerful formula for success which can be easily adapted to any worthy goal or dream:
Mr. Bastille,
To begin, thanks for reaching out. It is truly an honor to help in anyway that I can. I am proud to be a “Cape Codder” and a graduate of Barnstable High School. Even more honored to be a soldier and Combat Veteran.
To all the young men and women of the Cape, I would offer a few words of advice; some of which was given to me as a very young man and some drawn from personal experiences gained over the years.
1) Education is key. Finish high-school and go further if you desire. Whether a technical-skill or a Master’s degree, it will give you an amazing amount of upward mobility.
2) Tenacity–never quit!! This was a common saying from my Barnstable High School football coach.
3) Set goals and stick to them. Be persistent and good things will come. Give 100 percent towards accomplishing these goals. There will be setbacks but do not let these setbacks stop you or derail you. Aim to succeed in what ever you want to do. Do NOT let adversity or tough times get the way. Challenges can be overcome. Stay focused. Have patience and realize that success does not come quickly.
4) Be a person of strong values and good character. Integrity, honesty, discipline, and treating others with dignity and respect go along way. Every day, pass the mirror test! Your reputation is important.
5) Each day, make a difference. This is not an original statement; I am borrowing from an officer who recently spoke at a college graduation. Nonetheless, it holds true for all of us.
Our amazing country offers a wide-array of opportunities. Whether serving in the military, school teacher, law enforcement or others–set a goal, be tenacious (never quit) and you will succeed.
Respectfully,
Brigadier General Gary Brito
United States Army
(For those wishing to learn more about U.S. Army Brigadier General Gary Brito, I’ve included a brief online biography from www.arcic.army.mil at the bottom of this page.)
In closing, Hyannis News would like to thank General Brito for taking the time to send along the above message containing his formula for success, it was an honor to interview him.
HN would also like to thank all members of the U.S. Armed Forces for their service, wishing everyone a happy and blessed Veterans Day 2014. May God bless you, your families, and the United States of America.
11/11/2014
Robert Bastille,
P.S. – Army Biography: U.S. Army Brigadier General Gary Brito (from www.arcic.army.mil)
Brigadier General Gary Brito, a native of Hyannis, Massachusetts was commissioned an Infantry officer through Penn State University and entered active duty in March 1987. He has served in a variety of command and staff assignments to include 5th BN, 502d Infantry Regiment, Berlin, Germany, Company commander in 1st Battalion, 19th Regiment and Small Group instructor (SGI) for the Infantry Officer Advanced Course, Fort Benning, Georgia. BG Brito has twice served at the National Training Center, Fort Irwin, California; first, as a company/team and battle-staff observer/controller and later as a Senior Battalion and Brigade Combat Team trainer. Operational assignments include battalion operations officer (S3) in 2nd Battalion, 8th Infantry Regiment and later as the Brigade operations officer (S3), 2nd Brigade, 4th Infantry Division; Battalion Commander, 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division and Brigade Commander, 120th Infantry Brigade, First Army. Additionally, he served as an aide-de-camp to the III Corps Commanding General, Fort Hood, Texas and Chief, Commander’s Planning Group (CPG) and interim executive officer to Commanding General, Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC).
BG Brito assumed duties as the Director, Force 2025 and Beyond, U.S. Army Capabilities and Integration Center, (TRADOC) on 30 June 2014. Prior to this, he most recently served as the Corps Operations Officer (G3) for III Corps, Fort Hood, Texas. In that capacity, he deployed and served as the Deputy Director, Afghanistan National Security Forces (ANSF) Development, ISAF Joint Command in Kabul, Afghanistan. He holds a BA degree in Community Studies from Penn State University, MA degree in Human Resource Management from Troy State University and MS degree in Joint Strategy and Campaign Planning from the Joint Advanced Warfighting School (JAWS). BG Brito is a graduate of the Infantry Officer Basic and Advanced courses, Airborne and Ranger schools, Combined Arms Staff Services School, Command General and Staff Officers Course and completed senior service college at the Joint Advanced Warfighting Course, Norfolk, Virginia.
