Viet Xuan Luong

In May 2017, Luong was announced as the next Deputy Commanding General (Operations), Eighth Army, United States Forces Korea. He was promoted to major general in June 2018 and assumed command of United States Army, Japan in August 2018.

In March 2016, Luong was announced for assignment as chief of staff at United States Army Central.

In 2015, Luong was assigned as Director, Joint and Integration at the Office of the US Army Chief of Staff for Force Development, G-8.

Viet Xuan Luong (Vietnamese: Lương Xuân Việt) is a United States Army major general. He is the first American officer promoted to general officer rank who was born in Vietnam. Currently, he is the Commanding General for United States Army, Japan/I Corps Forward. He previously served as the Deputy Commanding General (Operations), Eighth Army. His prior assignments included chief of staff of United States Army Central; Director of Joint and Integration, Headquarters Department of the Army, G-8; assistant division commander–maneuver for the 1st Cavalry Division at Fort Hood, concurrent with assignment as commander, Train Advise Assist Command – South, Resolute Support Mission Joint Command, North Atlantic Treaty Organization, Afghanistan.

In February 2009, Luong assumed command of the 3rd Brigade Combat Team (Rakkasans), 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault). In January 2010, 3rd BCT deployed to Afghanistan for Operation Enduring Freedom 10–11. Following BCT command, Luong attended Stanford University as a National Security Fellow and subsequently served as the Deputy Director, Pakistan Afghanistan Coordination Cell, J5, The Joint Staff.

Following this assignment, Luong was assigned to Joint Task Force North at Fort Bliss, where he served as a plans officer and Chief, Targeting and Exploitation Division. In 2005, he assumed command of the 2nd Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division. During this command, Luong deployed his battalion in September 2005 as the Division Ready Force 1, in support of Operation American Assist, the Hurricane Katrina Relief efforts in New Orleans, and Operation Iraqi Freedom 06-08, in support of the War on Terror.

In 1993, Luong was assigned to Fort Bragg, North Carolina and served in the 2nd Battalion, 325th Airborne Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade, 82nd Airborne Division, as the Battalion Assistant S-3 (Operations) and commander of Alpha Company. While commanding Alpha Company, he deployed to Haiti in support of Operation Uphold Democracy as the Commander of the Theater Quick Reaction Force. Following his assignment at Fort Bragg, he was assigned to the Joint Readiness Training Center (JRTC) at Fort Polk as an Observer Controller.

Luong earned his commission via the Army Reserve Officers’ Training Corps program upon graduating from the University of Southern California in 1987.

Luong’s father was a major in the Republic of Vietnam Marine Division. On 29 April 1975 he and his family were evacuated from Tan Son Nhat International Airport during Operation Frequent Wind, landing on the USS Hancock. He and his family were brought to Fort Chaffee, Arkansas as part of Operation New Arrivals.

Following his assignment at JRTC, Luong attended the Command and General Staff College and then was assigned to the Southern European Task Force (SETAF). Luong served as SETAF G-3 Chief of Plans, and the Operations Officer and Executive Officer of 1st Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 173d Airborne Brigade, in Vicenza, Italy. During his assignment at Southern European Task Force, Luong deployed to Kosovo and Bosnia-Herzegovina on several occasions as part of the NATO Strategic Response Force.