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Friday, July 4, 2008
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4-star grand marshal Gen. Bruce Carlson coming home for the holiday By AMY FREDMAN Staff intern This holiday weekend, as a plethora of red, white and blue patriotism permeates the day, area roads are clogged with people flooding the area to celebrate the nation's 232nd birthday in Minnesota's 4th of July capital.
One of these, however, is not coming home to watch Brainerd's popular parade, but rather to lead it.
Gen. Bruce Carlson, a four-star general in the U.S. Air Force, is this year's parade grand marshal, traveling from Ohio to his Brainerd hometown to participate in the Fourth of July events.
"I am honored to be a part of this year's celebration," Carlson said in an e-mail interview.
Nancy Cross of Brainerd Community Action is honored to have him as a part of the events, as well. She asked Carlson to be the parade's grand marshal after she discovered that he would be at the airport dedicating the Civil Air Patrol's new hangar the same weekend. "There was no hesitation on his part," she said. "He was just thrilled to come. ... It's a tremendous honor for us."
Carlson currently serves as commander, Air Force Materiel Command, at the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio.
In 2001, Carlson was inducted into the Brainerd High School Distinguished Achievement Hall of Fame. Born in 1949 in Hibbing, Carlson lettered in track, cross country and swimming at Brainerd's Washington High School, where he graduated in 1967. He was also a sports writer on the school newspaper. As a youth, Carlson also enjoyed lifeguarding, skiing, snowmobiling, hunting and fishing.
"I made lifelong friends with some of my classmates at Washington High School and enjoyed the great outdoor activities that go along with living in this special area," he said.
Carlson attended Brainerd Community College before receiving his degree at the University of Minnesota-Duluth. He began his career in the Air Force in 1971 as a distinguished graduate of the UMD Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps program.
From there, Carlson's military credentials soared. Carlson is a command pilot with more than 3,300 flying hours, serving as an F-4 pilot with the 417th Tactical Fighter Squadron and an OV-10 forward air controller for a combat operation in the evacuation of citizens from Cambodia. He was also an instructor pilot and flight examiner and was vice commander, 366th Wing, Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho. Assignments that followed included commander, 49th Fighter Wing and four assignments in Washington, D.C., including the post of senior military assistant to the undersecretary of defense for acquisition. He also has served as the joint staff's director of force structure, resources and assessment.
Despite his busy schedule as a four-star general, Carlson is happy to make the trip to Brainerd. He said that being grand marshal "...reminds me of the great upbringing I had in Minnesota. This is where I spent my youth, grew my roots and built a foundation that led me to where I am today."
Carlson also said that he owed a lot to youth mentors, including high school coaches Paul Vrudny and Bud Schmidt, Boy Scout leaders and other teachers at the high school. "They were all great role models, many of whom went the extra mile to correct some of us who had occasional tendencies to want to get a little out of line," Carlson said. "...there is simply no better location in the USA to grow up. We have it all in the Brainerd lakes area."
His wife, formerly Vicki Martens, is also a Brainerd graduate, and together they have three married children, Bryan, Jani and Scott. The couple has just celebrated their 38th wedding anniversary and have nine grandchildren, five boys and four girls, and two miniature dachshunds. Carlson's parents are Cliff and Helen Carlson of Brainerd.
Independence Day is an important holiday to the Air Force general. "I've always loved the 4th of July," he said, describing his childhood memories of the excitement of family reunions, cookouts, fireworks and other fun summer activities.
"Now it's just as fun," Carlson said, "but much more special since the true meaning runs a lot deeper. I've been in the Air Force for more than 37 years, and my patriotism continues to grow, especially during these times of war. The airmen I serve with today share that love of country and show it with every deployment they make, along with the rest of the military services to Afghanistan, Iraq and the many other locations we go around the globe. They ÐÐ and their families ÐÐ are all heroes in my opinion."
An open house for General Carlson will be from 1Ð3 p.m. Friday at the Brainerd VFW on 6th Street.
AMY FREDMAN may be reached at amy.fredman@brainerddispatch.com or at 855-5866.
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