Arlington, VA — General John Keane, acting Chief of Staff of the Army, hosted ceremonies promoting Brigadier General and Army Chaplain David Hicks to Major General and appointing him as the next Chief of Chaplains for the Army.

"I am humbled and honored to be given the opportunity to lead the Army Chaplain Corps," said Maj. Gen. Chaplain David Hicks, newly appointed chief of chaplains for the Army. "As a new private years ago, I was brought to the ministry by the spiritual leadership and support of a Fort Campbell, KY, Army Chaplain. It has been a great journey and honor to carry the mantel of service as an Army Chaplain by bringing hope, compassion and courage to soldiers and their families."

The Chief of Army Chaplains is the principal advisor to the Army Chief of Staff on all Army chaplain matters. In addition, the Chief oversees all Army Active, Reserve and National Guard chaplaincy personnel throughout the United States and deployed with soldiers in over 120 countries. Hicks succeeds Chaplain (Major General) Gaylord Gunhus, who served as Chief of the Army Chaplains since July 1, 1999.

Hicks, who has almost 30 years of Army Chaplain service, previously served as the Deputy Chief of Chaplains, headquartered at the Pentagon. His transition as the next Army Chief of Chaplains coincided with the Army Chaplain Corps 228th anniversary of July 29, 2003.

After attending Princeton Theological Seminary and receiving ordination as a Presbyterian minister, Hicks entered the Army Chaplain Corps in 1974. He previously served in the Army as an enlistee from 1958-1967 when he discharged as an Infantry Staff Sergeant and returned to civilian schooling.

Hicks has served as Command Chaplain at U.S. Army Special Forces Command, Fort Bragg, NC; V Corps, Heidelberg, Germany; and United States Army Reserve Europe (USAREUR) Command, Heidelberg, Germany.

Chaplain Hicks holds a Masters of Divinity from Princeton Seminary, Princeton, N.J., and a Master of Theology from Duke University, Durham, NC His military education includes the U.S. Army Chaplain, Basic and Advanced courses, combined Arms Services Staff School, Instructor training courses, Command and General Staff College, and the Army War College. He is also a master parachutist.

Hicks' other chaplain assignments include 759th Military Police Battalion, Fort Dix, New Jersey; 3rd Brigade, 3rd Armored Division, Friedberg, Germany; 1/509th Airborne Infantry, Vicenza, Italy; 35th Signal Brigade and 1st Brigade, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, North Carolina; U.S. Army Infantry School; Fort Benning, Georgia; 6th Infantry Division; and Fort Richardson, Alaska.

His major enlisted assignments were with the 187th and 327th Infantry units and the 101st Airborne Division, Fort Campbell, KY; the 2nd Infantry Division, Korea; and the 54th Infantry, Bamberg, Germany.

Among his numerous awards and decorations are the Legion of Merit, Meritorious Service Medial with six Oak Leaf Clusters, Army Good Conduct Medal with 2 clasp, and Humanitarian Service Medal.

Chaplain Hicks and his wife have three children and one granddaughter.