Fort Benning has always been Kenneth Leuer’s home away from home
After completing 32 years in the U.S. Army, including a stint as commander at Fort Benning, retired Maj. Gen. Kenneth C. Leuer didn’t have to think twice about staying in the community that most people consider as one.
“I’m very proud of Fort Benning,” Leuer said during a visit to his quiet home in Midland. “I would not have retired here if I wasn’t. Benning has a good reputation, a solid reputation and I think the people of Columbus can be very proud to have Fort Benning considered as part of Columbus.”
As the post celebrates 100 years, Leuer looked back over his military service with a focus on Benning culture, leadership and motivating young soldiers.
Leuer, 84, described the post as his home away from home. He took the Infantry Basic Officer Leaders C ourse in 1956, returned for the advanced course in 1961 and Ranger training in the summer of 1962. He served two tours in Vietnam and was assigned as commandant of the Infantry School or post commander in June 1987.
“Fort Benning is not just a training place, it is a culture,” he said. “People who come to Fort Benning and train at Fort Benning or live at Fort Benning, that has an impact on their cultural development.”
The same occurs in a town with a college. “They have a culture of how they think, what they talk about or what they read,” Leuer said. “I think that is true for people who live around Fort Benning.”
At the post, there is an education of training climate while the 82nd Airborne Division and the 101st Airborne Division have a climate of deploying and fighting. “It is education on training rather than everything is in the fight,” he said.
Leuer noted that he didn’t request the position at Fort Benning but received a call and was asked about getting assigned as commanding general. “I had some thoughts about our training, not that it was deficient,” he said. “When you got something good, it is easier to make it better than if it’s not good, you can make something out of it.”
By the time he arrived on post, Leuer said he had a reputation as a pretty solid trainer. He studied Robert Mager, a psychologist and author known for understanding and improving human performance.
The general had simple conversations with soldiers when it came to performance issues. “You know you are working Ok, you’ve got to do better,” he said. “I really helped you didn’t I. I despised it if you can’t tell me what to hell is wrong and what I should do to do better. Don’t waste your time with it. “
Leuer always looked for what’s better. “If I can’t tell you what better is then I better shut up too,” he said. “I was big on that.”
One day Leuer said he was talking to a young lieutenant and asked,” If you stand up and you’re going to walk, which foot do you step off,” he asked?
The lieutenant said, “Well, I don’t know.”
“That is your problem,” Leuer said. “You don’t know what is right. That kid came and saw me before he went PCS, (Permanent Change of Station) and thanked me.”
In 1974, Leuer was selected commander and organizer of the reactivation of the 1st Battallion, 75th Ranger Regiment. He formed the modern-day Rangers and co-authored the “Ranger Creed.”
“I’ve said this a million times,” Leuer said, “I’m the daddy of the modern-day Rangers, if you don’t know.”
The retired general has been a leader in every stage of his life. Born in August 1934 in Wayzata, Minn., he was a two-time state wrestling champion at Wayzata High School and attended the University of Iowa where he won a Big Ten Division I national wrestling championship in the 191-pound weight class.
He is married and has three grown children, two daughters and a son.
Staff Writer Ben Wright spent time with retired Maj. Gen. Kenneth C. Leuer to write this piece for the Fort Benning centennial op-ed series.
This story was originally published October 28, 2018 at 12:00 AM.