Episode 46 - General Gary Brito, USA (Ret): Innovation, Leadership, Modernization, and a Life of Service

General Gary Brito, USA (Ret): Innovation, Leadership, Modernization, and a Life of Service

In this episode of Tipping Spears with Hannah Becker, I sit down with Gary Brito, a retired four-star U.S. Army General whose 38-year career reflects sustained leadership across tactical, operational, and strategic levels of command. As the former Commanding General of U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command, General Brito was responsible for preparing nearly one million Soldiers and civilians, shaping how the Army trains, educates, and develops leaders for an increasingly complex security environment.

General Brito reflects on the moments that shaped his calling to service, the obstacles he faced along the way, and the leadership principles that remained constant as his responsibilities expanded. Drawing on his experience as the Army’s Deputy Chief of Staff for Personnel (G-1), he offers a candid look at human capital strategy, talent management, and readiness at scale, and shares what public institutions and private organizations can learn from how the Army develops and sustains its people.

We also explore innovation, modernization, and change management for mission-driven organizations operating in high-consequence environments. General Brito challenges common assumptions about innovation, emphasizing the central role of culture, trust, and people rather than technology alone. He closes with thoughtful guidance for emerging leaders and those considering service, along with a broader reflection on what our society is lacking when it comes to leadership, values, and resilience.

Guest Bio

General Gary Brito is a distinguished four-star U.S. Army leader whose 38-year career reflects exceptional strategic vision, operational excellence, and enterprise transformation at the highest levels of government. A proven architect of large-scale organizational change and risk management, he is recognized for leading complex, mission-critical institutions through training, modernization and transformation to meet rapid shifts in global environments. His leadership style blends humility and accountability with a deep commitment to values, talent development, and organizational performance.

As Commanding General of U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command – a command that drove the Army’s institutional engine for training, education, and development, General Brito served as the CEO responsible for preparing approximately one million soldiers and civilians. He spearheaded significant modernization initiatives, including the development of an army-wide health and holistic fitness strategy, actions that drove solutions towards recruiting challenges, integration of advanced training technologies and system-wide transformation; all of which drove critical change and supported enterprise transformation initiatives.

Previously, as the U.S. Army Deputy Chief of Staff for Personnel (G-1), he served as a SVP  leading end-to-end human capital, readiness, and workforce policy for the entire Army. His people-first, data-driven approach strengthened fiscal accountability, optimized talent management, and elevated organizational readiness across a skilled workforce of approximately 1000 personnel providing expert HR support to the total Army of approximately 1 million personnel. General Brito also commanded the Maneuver Center of Excellence and Fort Benning, GA and the Joint Readiness Training Center and Fort Polk, LA - two of the nation’s most critical training and force-generation platforms - where he drove innovation, advanced organizational agility, leader development and operational preparation.

A decorated military leader, he holds a bachelor’s degree from Penn State University, a master’s degree in human resource management from Troy State University and completed elite executive programs including Leadership at the Peak and MIT’s Seminar XXI. He received Penn State University’s Distinguished Alumni Award in 2025 - the institution’s highest honor.

General Brito brings deep expertise in governance, strategy, organizational transformation, workforce development, and high-stakes operational decision-making.  He is passionate about contributing his multifaceted perspective to boards across the private sector, technology, defense, and youth development sectors in addition to public speaking.

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