The Cory Lake Isles Resident’s Storied Profession Consists of Being The First Black Basic Of The U.S. Particular Forces!
I had the glory and privilege of interviewing the first-ever Black Basic of the U.S. Particular Forces — Brigadier (1-star) Basic Remo Butler — the identical day the U.S. Military celebrated its 250th birthday — June 14, 2025.
Gen. Butler, who commanded honorably and admirably at each stage for 29 years within the Military, was first commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in 1974, after graduating from Austin Peay State College in Clarksville, TN, because the Vietnam Struggle was winding down. He and his spouse Mylitta are long-time Cory Lake Isles residents who invited photographer Charmaine George, Jannah and yours really into their stunning dwelling shortly earlier than they needed to get able to attend Tampa’s celebration of the Military’s sestercennial anniversary in downtown Tampa.
“The Military is greater than a yr older than our nation (the U.S. received’t have fun its 250th birthday till July 4, 2026),” Gen. Butler says, “and it was an honor for me to serve. When individuals ask me if I miss being within the Military (he retired in 2004 because the Chief of Workers for the U.S. Particular Operations Command at MacDill Air Pressure Base in South Tampa), I at all times say that my physique, particularly my knees, don’t miss it in any respect. However, I do miss the nice individuals I bought to serve with. It wasn’t actually my first alternative of a profession, however I don’t remorse a minute of it. I took delight in all the things I did.”
Dealing With Racism
Though Gen. Butler, now age 73, was at all times in a position to transfer up the ranks within the Military, he says he nonetheless encountered racism alongside the way in which.
“I do know I’m a task mannequin for Black women and men within the army as a result of many individuals have advised me that within the years since I retired,” he says.
The truth is, based on an article revealed in 2010 on the web site ResearchGate.web, “Over the previous 20 years, U.S. Struggle Faculty college students have written a number of papers pertaining to the experiences of black officers as they relate to illustration, promotions, affect, and tradition. Curiously, solely Gen. Remo Butler’s paper (1997), which was one of many first to be written, has obtained any widespread consideration. Butler discovered that, ‘Black officers are falling behind their white counterparts in promotions at and above the rank of lieutenant colonel at a disconcerting charge.’ Particularly, Butler advised that Black officers had been failing in two areas: (1) promotion to the ranks of lieutenant colonel and better, and (2) choice for battalion and brigade command.’”
Gen. Butler says he’s significantly pleased with that nearly-30-year-old essay. “The place loads of the opposite Struggle Faculty graduates had been writing about the way forward for the army on Mars or within the Andromeda Galaxy, I wished to assist future Black officers to know that to succeed, you must carry delight and integrity to all the things you do.”
Getting Began
“Two years into faculty, I’m taking a look at a few of my buddies who had graduated,” Gen. Butler remembers. “Some had Grasp’s levels, some simply had common levels, they usually weren’t doing properly as a result of there was a recession happening. So, these guys had been having a tough time discovering jobs.
I went to Sears in the future, and there was my highschool chemistry trainer promoting sneakers and I’m like, “Wow, that isn’t what I wanna do.”
So, in the future, he runs into somebody who was in ROTC, “And this man mentioned, ‘You understand, by doing ROTC, you’re gonna have a job. You’ll be an officer within the Military.’ My father was within the Military, so I made a decision to look into it. However, I actually wasn’t enthusiastic about it, as a result of throughout these days I wished to have the massive Afro and type of do what I wished.”
He provides, “However, widespread sense took over and I mentioned to myself, ‘Hey, do you wanna eat?’ So, I joined ROTC. And, among the instructors didn’t like me and I didn’t like them both. When it was time to go to summer season camp, the PMS (Professor of Army Science) calls me in as a result of he actually didn’t like me and he mentioned, ‘Pay attention, we’re gonna ship you to summer season camp, in opposition to my higher judgment. However, should you don’t preserve no less than a ‘B’ common, you’re out of right here.” So, summer season camp ends and I got here again with a straight-’A’ common, so he was caught.”
Butler began trying down the street and thought, “I’d wanna do that for some time. I’ll go in [to the military] for 2 or three years, put it on my resume, get a little bit expertise, after which go do one thing else. And, once I went in, I did a few years, went to a couple locations I’d by no means been, went to Korea and Panama, and, I mentioned, ‘OK, this isn’t so unhealthy. So I stayed some time, bought promoted, got here again to the superior course in Fort Benning, (Georgia) and bumped into some actually good individuals. Considered one of them, who turned out to be a lifelong mentor for me, was Sidney Shachnow, a retired Main (2-star) Basic who handed away (in 2018 at age 83). He was a Holocaust survivor who had spent two years in a focus camp, however he made it out, got here to the U.S. and joined the Military. He was an incredible man who was the primary actual mentor I ever had. And I had loved Particular Forces.”
He provides, “So in the future — at the moment he was Colonel Shachnow — he tells me, ‘Your command goes to be right here at Fort Benning, however I’m going again to Fort Bragg (in North Carolina). I’ve some points right here, however should you can maintain this one concern right here for me, I’ll get you to Fort Bragg with me.’ I mentioned, ‘Executed deal. I took care of his concern and a few yr and a half later, I bought orders to go to Fort Bragg and I used to be again in Particular Forces.”
(Be aware-Gen. Butler defined that each army department has its personal Particular Pressure. The Navy has the Seals. The Air Pressure has its Particular Operations Command, the Military has Particular Forces and Military Rangers, Marines have Marine Raiders and Pressure Reconnaissance models, and the Coast Guard has Deployable Specialised Forces.)
Transferring Up The Ladder
“However anyway, I used to be already getting promoted. And the very best factor, although, was that I met loads of nice individuals and simply loved working with them. After I bought in, it was nonetheless Vietnam, which was ending, so that they weren’t sending many people there by ‘74…and I saved sticking round.”
He accomplished the Particular Forces Qualification Course in 1977 and was assigned as a detachment commander in Firm C, and later as govt officer of Firm A, third Battalion, seventh Particular Forces Group (Airborne), Panama. In 1980, he attended the Infantry Officer Superior course and later commanded Firm C, Infantry Coaching Group, in Fort Benning. He returned to Fort Bragg and Particular Forces in February 1984 and served as firm govt officer and Battalion S-3 earlier than assuming command of Firm C, 2/seventh Particular Forces Group (Airborne).
Then, after finishing the Armed Forces Workers Faculty, Butler was assigned in 1988 to Particular Operations Command South, Panama, as director J3 and as a particular operations plans officer. He was additionally a participant in “Operation Simply Trigger,” to liberate Panama from the never-elected dictator Basic Manuel Noriega.
Gen. Butler left Panama in July 1991 to turn out to be an teacher on the Armed Forces Workers Faculty till December 1992. He then returned to Fort Bragg to command the first Battalion, seventh Particular Forces Group (Airborne) from 1993-95. He then was assigned as deputy chief of workers to U.S. Military Particular Forces Command till his departure to the US Military Struggle Faculty in Pennsylvania.
After finishing the Struggle Faculty, he was assigned as chief, Particular Operations Coordination Component, XVIII Airborne Corps. Gen. Butler commanded the first Particular Warfare Coaching Group (Airborne), U.S. Military Particular Warfare Heart & College, from 1997 by way of 1999. He was reassigned because the deputy commanding common, U.S. Military Particular Operations Command, at Fort Bragg 1999-2000. His most up-to-date task was because the commanding common, Particular Operations Command South, from June 2000 to July 2003.
“So, in the future I in 2001, I used to be in Fort Bragg, and I used to be figuring out with a good friend of mine who was a Brigadier Basic, and he mentioned, ‘I’m going someplace else and also you’re going to be taking my place right here.’ And I’m like, ‘No, you clearly bought one thing fallacious. You bought it confused.’ However, a number of days later, it turned out that I used to be going to be taking his place. And, at the moment, you gotta determine that after 29 years of carrying heavy ruck sacks and leaping out of airplanes, my physique was revolting,. We used to do a month-to-month run, and it was solely a few three- or four-mile run. However, on the finish of that run for the subsequent two or three days, I needed to ice down my knees and attempt to relaxation.”
He added, “However, to me, a frontrunner leads from the entrance and I used to be nonetheless main from the entrance, however it was getting more durable and more durable. So, I retired in 2004 and went to work for some nice firms, and I’ve by no means regarded again.”
Generally Unstated Racism
As for the racial difficulties he encountered, Gen. Butler says, “After I was a Second Lieutenant, I bought stationed in Korea and there have been loads of racial issues happening within the army, and the primary unit I used to be assigned to had simply had an Inspector Basic (IG) inspection.
“And, though I had simply gotten there and the inspection was earlier than I bought there, the corporate XO (Government Officer) saved mentioning issues within the report, saying, ‘Lieutenant Butler, you tousled actual unhealthy on this. This [problem] right here is yours,’ however I used to be clueless as to what he was speaking about. I made a decision to teach myself on bodily block safety, which was a giant factor, as a result of we had been going to be reinspected. And by educating myself, I turned the battalion’s de facto professional in these fields.”
He added, “In any unit, there’s a hierarchy and all people is aware of who’s on the high and who’s on the backside. And, among the many Lieutenants, this Lieutenant named Mark, who was an incredible man, and I turned good buddies as a result of we had been Lieutenants #1 and #2, relying on what day it was. However, it was a really pleasant rivalry with no animosity between us. We used to hang around collectively and drink collectively, though he graduated from West Level and I didn’t.
“So, in these days, you bought a 60-day OER (Officer Analysis Report) and I knew what I had performed, and all people knew what I had performed. All of us knew what all people had performed as a result of we had been a small unit. So, all of us bought our 60-day OERs again within the mail at about the identical time. Mark opened his first and he bought what he deserved. One other man opened his and he was in the course of the group after which this different man opened his and it wasn’t an actual good report, however it was what he deserved and all of us knew that. After which, I opened mine and I solely bought one level above what this lowest man bought.
“So, Mark says, “Hey, one thing’s fallacious right here. You have to go speak to the previous man ([he XO, our Captain]. So, I knock on the door and he says, ‘Hey, Lieutenant, the way you doing? What can I do for you?’
“I mentioned, ‘I need to speak to you concerning the OERs. I took loads of time engaged on that OER for you however sir, you solely gave me one level increased than so-and-so and 10 or 15 factors lower than so-and-so.’
“He mentioned, ‘How are you aware that?’ and I mentioned, ‘As a result of all of us went round and checked out all our outcomes.’ He checked out me and mentioned, “Lieutenant, these scores are a personal, private factor. You don’t share them with anybody. You have to perceive that. However, it’s best to know that I didn’t provide you with that rating since you’re Black.”
“And, though bells and alarms went off in my head, I simply mentioned, ‘OK,’ and I walked out.
“I used to be nonetheless new there. I didn’t know jack. However I used to be involved concerning the dialog and I didn’t know what to do.
“And, due to all of the racial points again then, there was an workplace known as Equal Alternative, the place you may make a criticism. However I didn’t know do it. So, I talked to a different Lieutenant who mentioned, ‘Go speak to this man. He’s a Black Captain. And, this Captain mentioned, ‘I used to be ready for you come see me. I knew what was gonna occur to you as a result of I do know him.’
“He mentioned, ‘If I used to be evaluating you, that is what I’d have given you.’ However, he couldn’t give me loads of assist, as a result of, you realize, he didn’t need to get himself in bother. So, this different Particular Forces Captain, who was a battalion commander, he calls me and says, ‘Let me let you know what you have to do.’ He laid it out step-by-step and one in every of my commander’s buddies noticed me and mentioned, ‘Look, you realize, I’m not on this, however I’m simply telling you that so-and-so caught it to you. So, what are you doing about it?’ And I mentioned, ‘I’m writing to the XO.’”
However, because it turned out, Butler says, “The IG inspection was good for me as a result of all the things that we flunked actually badly [before] that he gave to me was re-inspected and I had solely two minor deficiencies out of all the things, which was good. Plus, I turned the battalion’s resident professional in sure issues, so the models would name me and say, ‘Hey, are you able to come assist us do that?’”
After that, Gen. Butler says he went to see his commander, a Colonel, “who wished to speak to me about what was happening. I inform him and he says, ‘Effectively, I’ve talked to some individuals right here and most everybody has a excessive opinion of you. So, I’m going to get you out of right here as a result of I want to guard you.’
“I mentioned, ‘Quantity One, I’m not working. I don’t run from anyone and I’m not gonna begin now. I respect you wanting to guard me, however I don’t want safety. I’ll maintain it myself.’”
However, the Colonel knew that the XO was going to, “search for some option to ambush me. A few of the different Captains there who knew this man got here to me on the facet and mentioned, ‘Pay attention, watch out, as a result of he’s gonna attempt to get you’ and these had been that XO’s buddies telling me this.”
“So, in the future [the XO] calls me in about my subsequent OER. It was ten occasions higher than the primary one however it nonetheless wasn’t what I believed I deserved. And, the XO says, “I simply wanna ensure you’re joyful. Lieutenant.’ And, I’m taking a look at this piece of crap and I mentioned, ‘OK.’ However, when my enchantment got here again, the XO lied and mentioned, ‘I simply made a mistake.’ So, though it didn’t harm me, as you’ll be able to inform, it did bitter me quite a bit on the Military. However, one of many causes I used to be in Particular Forces, was due to these two captains who helped me. Each of them had been nice Particular Forces guys who walked me by way of do issues.”
He says that when he went to Particular Forces college, “It was one of many hardest issues I’ve ever performed in my life. However, I graduated and, at the moment, there have been only a few Black officers within the Military and nearly none in Particular Forces, though there have been some Black enlisted males. Then, once I went to Panama, there have been two black officers, and later, there have been three.
“And, again then, some of us would throw the ‘N’ phrase round, which was the quickest option to get my fist in your mouth. However, as a result of it was a unique time, even a man and his spouse who ended up being my youngest daughter’s godparents as soon as mentioned to me and my spouse, ‘Black individuals ought to marry Black individuals and White individuals ought to marry White individuals.’ However, we turned an inseparable group anyway.. These are the sorts of relationships you determine in Particular Forces.”
One other time, when Gen. Butler was a Colonel who was commanding a coaching group, he says, “My secretary got here in, and had this loopy look on her face, and went again out. I didn’t know what was happening. Anyway, this man is available in and appears round, and I heard her say to the man, ‘No, sir, he’s in there. I advised you that’s Colonel Butler,’ however the man, I suppose, wasn’t anticipating somebody Black to be a Colonel.”
He added, “I inform of us on a regular basis, individuals have expectations of what you ought to be. I push my very own son and inform him ‘It’s important to look the half and speak the half. Should you can’t converse [proper] English, persons are going to downplay you.”
One other time, Gen. Butler says he went for a job interview in West Virginia.
“I went up there and it was a giant desk, they usually had about 20 individuals sitting round this desk, with one Black man on the desk. One of many guys mentioned, “I need you to inform me why we must always put you on this place.’ I checked out him and I mentioned, ‘Effectively, I’ve been sitting right here [telling you] for over two hours, so should you can’t determine it out, I don’t must be just right for you.’”
The man responded, “Oh, wait a minute. That’s not what I meant.’ Then, the man who advisable me [for the job] was taking me again to the airport. And he mentioned ‘You understand, Basic. I simply by no means knew you had been that articulate.’
“I mentioned, “I looks like I is aware of what you guys talks about.’ And, he understood what I used to be saying. However, lots of people take a look at you they usually anticipate sure issues and I strive by no means to offer you what you anticipate.”
“So, the man says, ‘I’m sorry, sir. However, I’ve talked to lots of people about you, and no person ever advised me you had been Black.’ However in some unspecified time in the future, individuals will cease taking a look at you because the Black officer, and simply take a look at you because the officer.”
After I requested concerning the Military’s 250th birthday, Gen. Butler mentioned, “It signifies to me that 250 years in the past, our army was shaped, and has been serving the US and the federal government for 250 years.”
He famous, nevertheless, that even in the course of the Revolutionary Struggle in opposition to England, “There have been many Blacks who fought on each side. The primary man who was killed in the course of the Struggle, Crispus Attucks, was Black. A few of the slave house owners advised their slaves , “Should you struggle for us in opposition to the British, I’ll set you free. The British did the identical factor by sending their individuals out to speak slaves into preventing for them to earn their freedom.”
Gen. Butler additionally is aware of that there have been no Black officers within the U.S. army till after the Civil Struggle, when Henry Ossian Flipper graduated from West Level in 1877.
“I inform my son, hat if individuals have no idea and perceive their historical past, they won’t final lengthy. So, I at all times wished to know our historical past. And I need him to know our historical past.”
He’s proud to have studied our historical past and he and Mylitta are also proud to be New Tampa residents. “After I got here again from working for Halliburton in Iraq after I retired, we had been on the lookout for a home [in the Tampa Bay area]. We had been driving round, and got here throughout [Cory Lake Isles]. And, again in these days, there have been nonetheless loads of bushes in every single place and you may drive to Wesley Chapel and take a look at farms and cows. And I mentioned, ‘You understand, this seems to be like a pleasant space. And, this home simply occurred to be the San Remo mannequin, and I used to be like, whoa, I like this! And we’ve been very joyful right here ever since.”
About ‘Why Black Officers Fail’
Regardless of his many different accomplishments, Gen. Butler says that his article “Why Black Officers Fail” is one in every of his best achievements.
“I didn’t need to write about esoteric issues, like battle in outer area within the yr 5250,” he says. “I wished to jot down one thing actual. And, I nonetheless get emails and texts from individuals saying, ‘Thanks for writing that article. You helped save my profession.’
He provides, “In Struggle Faculty, once I was nonetheless a Colonel, we had active-duty school members who would assist with every class. However, after three or 4 of them advised me they couldn’t assist me,I went to see Dr. Nagami, a Japanese American, who mentioned, ‘Are you certain that is what you need to write about?’ I mentioned, ‘Sure,” and she or he mentioned, ‘I’m going to let you know a narrative. Two years in the past, a Black MP (Army Police) officer wrote one thing comparable and after he bought out of Struggle Faculty, the army was downsizing and he was one of many ones to go.’
“However I mentioned, my file speaks for itself, so I don’t assume they may do this to me.’ So, Dr. Nagami helped me and we wrote it and it was an excellent paper. All people who was Black within the Struggle Faculty liked it. An enormous proportion of the white guys liked it. I had loads of guys prepared to guide a brigade ask me, ‘How do you counsel I carry the Black guys into the fold? How do you suggest I make my Black officers to really feel part of it?’ These had been critical questions, which was good.
However, even so, he says, there was nonetheless a spectre of racism hanging over the essay.
“The day of our commencement ceremony from Struggle Faculty, they had been giving out writing awards and all people Black simply knew I used to be going to get a writing award. Dr. Nagami simply knew I used to be getting a writing award. However, on the finish of the day, I didn’t get an award. Nor was I anticipating on as a result of [the article] was controversial. So, Dr. Nagami went and requested why I didn’t get an award and one of many guys mentioned, ‘Effectively, you realize, it wasn’t that properly written.’ She mentioned, ‘Wait a minute. I used to be within the assembly and also you guys had been all speaking about how properly written it was.’ I advised her, ‘Don’t fear about it.’ However the factor for me is that just about 30 years later, persons are nonetheless studying it, however I assure they’re not studying the papers about wars on Mars. I’ll at all times be pleased with that.”
As if to show his level, the ResearchGate. com article from 2010 I discovered on-line mentioned, “This paper is an extension of Butler’s paper in that it seeks to find out what, if something, has modified within the years since Butler revealed his paper, utilizing Butler’s unique analysis strategies. The creator’s working speculation for the paper is that little has modified and that African Individuals are ‘nonetheless’ failing in at present’s Military. The findings general counsel that Black officers are getting promoted to the ranks of Lieutenant Colonel and Colonel at increased ranges than in 1996. Moreover, Blacks are being chosen for each battalion and brigade ranges command at increased charges than 1996. Nonetheless, Blacks are stilling failing to rise to the strategic decision-making ranges of the Military. In attempting to return to grips with this, the creator has discovered that there are some limitations to this paper. The primary is that this examine doesn’t make use of a rigorous methodological strategy to understanding senior officer perceptions. As an alternative it depends on anecdotal proof, like Butler’s thesis, to help the contentions herein. Additionally, like Butler’s paper, this paper takes a myopic black-white strategy to understanding why black officers [still] fail.”
Thanks a lot in your service, Basic Butler, and for sharing a couple of minutes of the Military’s large 250th birthday with me.
