Fort Jackson commander to get second star

Brig. Gen. John P. “Pete” Johnson, Fort Jackson’s commander, is getting a second star.

Johnson will be promoted to the rank of major general in a ceremony Monday at the fort’s Victory Field. Lt. Gen. Michael S. Tucker, the former commander of 1st Army, will preside over the ceremony.

Major generals serve as commanders of divisions and some installations, which consist of 10,000 to 16,000 soldiers. Two-star generals also serve as high-level officers at major commands and the Pentagon.

There are 99 major generals on active duty in the U.S. Army. Fewer than one-half percent of commissioned officers make it to the top three ranks.

Johnson, a West Point graduate, became the 49th commanding general of the nation’s largest basic training base on June 24.

This story was originally published August 24, 2016 at 11:50 PM with the headline "Fort Jackson commander to get second star."