SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. (USTCNS, Nov. 18, 2004) --- The number two general at U.S. Transportation Command for the past couple years, Lt. Gen. Gary H. Hughey, deputy commander, was honored this afternoon at his retirement ceremony.

Hughey was joined center stage by his wife Heidi and daughter Shannon, and by Air Force General John W. Handy, commander, USTRANSCOM, who presided over the ceremony.

On Jan. 1, 2005 (official retirement date), Hughey will have completed 36 years, 9 months and 18 days of cumulative service to the Marine Corps and a grateful nation, leaving behind a legacy of visionary leadership and logistical innovations.

In front of an audience of friends and family, the majority wearing multi-colored uniforms from each of the military services, Handy presented Hughey the Defense Distinguished Service Medal.

The narrator, Navy Captain Nan Honey described Hughey’s impact and contributions while reading from the award citation:

“During his [Hughey’s] tenure, the command [USTRANSCOM] flawlessly supported Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom, transporting over 1.5 million passengers, over 4 million short tons of cargo, while concurrently supporting numerous high-visibility operations, peacekeeping efforts around the world, emergency response to the Space Shuttle disaster, Super Typhoon Pongsona, Iranian earthquake relief, the California wildfires, and hurricanes Charley, Frances, Jeanne and Ivan, as well as support to the National Science Foundation in Antartica.”

Hughey has said that he never imagined his time as a Marine would end while serving at an Air Force base in America’s heartland, but ads he could not have written a better script.

Having spent his entire career as a logistical officer, Hughey’s leadership at USTRANSCOM came during a pivotal era for military logistics.

Hughey has been instrumental in USTRANSCOM’s role as the Distribution Process Owner for the Defense Department. He championed the first-ever joint service distribution command and control entity to integrate, prioritize cargo, and provide end-to-end in-transit visibility of military cargo. This concept has already avoided more than $268 million by shifting lift assets from air to sea.

An alumnus of The School of the Ozarks in Missouri, Hughey was commissioned a second lieutenant in 1970, and attended Basic School in Quantico, Va., where he was designated a supply officer. He has held several positions as commander, and in joint assignments. Prior to his assignment as Deputy Commander at USTRANSCOM, the general was Deputy Commander, Headquarters U.S. Forces, Japan.