Brigadier General Gratton O. Sealock II
U.S. Army Retired
EWU ROTC Class of 1974
Civilian Aide to the Secretary of the Army (CASA)
Brigadier General Gratton “Neal” Sealock entered the U.S. Army in 1974 upon graduation from Eastern Washington State College (EWSC) now known as Eastern Washington University (EWU). He was a Distinguished Military Graduate (DMG) from the university’s Reserve Officer Training Corps program and commissioned as a Second Lieutenant into the Infantry.
After the Infantry Officer Basic Course, Brigadier General Sealock was assigned to the 1st Battalion (Airborne), 500th Infantry, 82nd Airborne Division serving as a rifle platoon leader, weapons platoon leader, and heavy mortar platoon leader before receiving orders to attend flight training. BG Sealock completed flight school and the AH-1 Cobra course in 1977, he was assigned to C Company 3rd Aviation Battalion (Combat), Schweinfurt, Federal Republic of Germany. He join the battalion staff in Kitzinger in 1979.
Upon completion of the Infantry Officer Advanced Course in 1981, BG Sealock was assigned to the Army Aviation Center, Ft. Rucker, Alabama as an attack helicopter instructor pilot and flight commander. He served as the operations officer for Hanchey Division and assumed command of 64th Company, 6th Battalion in May 1983.
From late 1984 through 1986, BG Sealock studied Mandarin Chinese at the Defense Language Institute, the Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom) Chinse Language School in Hong Kong, and Fudan University in Shanghai, People’s Republic of China through the Army’s Foreign Area Officer program. He graduated from the Armed Forces Staff College in 1987.
Returning overseas he served as the Executive Officer for 4th Squadron, 7th Cavalry at Camp Garry Owen, Republic of Korea. Subsequently BG Sealock was assigned to DIA as the China Country Officer in Washington, D.C. In August 1990 he returned to Hong Kong as the Assistant Army Attach ‘e and Director of the China Foreign Area Officer training program. From May 1992 through April 1994, BG Sealock commanded the 4th Squadron, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment at Ft. Bliss, Texas.
After relinquishing command, BG Sealock spent a year as a National Security Fellow at the Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University in lieu of the Army War College. Afterwards he was assigned as the China Desk officer and the Northeast Asia Branch Chief, Asia Pacific Division, in the Directorate for Strategy and Policy, J-5 the Joint Staff from June 1995 through May 1997.
BG Sealock addresses reporters during the Hainan Island Incident.
Brigadier General Sealock returned to Ft. Rucker and commanded the 1st Aviation Brigade from June 1997 through June 1999. He assumed the duties as U.S. Army Attaché, Canberra, Australia in August 1999 as well as being the only accredited U.S. officer to Papua New Guinea, the Soloman Islands, and Vanuatu. He was assigned as the U.S. Defense Attaché in the People’s Republic of China at the American Embassy in Beijing from September 2000 through August 2002. It was during this assignment that BG Sealock negotiated for the release of 24 American military crewmen who were detained by China after their plane crash landed on Hainan Island following a collision with a Chinese fighter jet.
Brigadier General Sealock was then assigned as the Deputy Commanding General, U.S. Army Cadet Command, Ft. Monroe, Virginia. He retired from military service in 2005. Following retirement he became the Director of the Spokane International Airport from 2005 through 2010. Brigadier General Sealock currently serves as the Civilian Aide to the Secretary of the Army (CASA) for the Eastern Washington region. Neal and his wife Donna live in Spokane and have two sons K.C. and Clint.
Acting Secretary of the Army, Robert M. Speer selected (l to r) John T. Hargrove to represent Georgia (West); John W. Moulton, Illinois (South); and Gratton O’Neal Sealock II, Washington (East) as new Civilian Aides to the Secretary of the Army (CASA)
You can see the rest of the members of our EWU Military Science Hall of Fame at the below link:
