Lyons to lead USTRANSCOM

SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. – The Senate yesterday confirmed U.S. Army Lt. Gen. Stephen R. Lyons, Joint Staff Director for Logistics (J4), as the next commander of U.S. Transportation Command here. 

A change of command ceremony will take place Aug. 24, 2018, at the Scott Air Force Base Parade Field.

U.S. Air Force Gen. Darren W. McDew, current USTRANSCOM commander, will retire following the change of command ceremony.  

"Lt. Gen. Lyons is a rare soldier, officer, and leader.  He will be the command's first Army commander, as well as the Army's first Logistician Combatant Commander. As our joint warfighting enterprise continues to evolve in today's unique environment, Lyons' expertise will surely enable the continued advancement of our command. Having commanded at every level from company to major subordinate command, and previously serving as USTRANSCOM's Deputy Commander, he is up to the crucial task of leading the 144,000-strong USTRANSCOM team.  Everyone across the command and the Joint Deployment and Distribution Enterprise will benefit from his direction and leadership," said McDew.

USTRANSCOM is a global Combatant Command and the transportation provider for the Department of Defense. USTRANSCOM doesn’t just move the force; it sustains the force and operates the Joint Deployment and Distribution Enterprise. In support of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, USTRANSCOM sets the globe for logistics. Setting the globe means establishing an equilibrium between the capability and capacity required to meet emerging threats and regularly using the vast network of nodes, modes, and routes to expand and maintain access to assets and infrastructure. In doing so, we provide the President options to build combat power and deliver national objectives at the time and place of his choosing. 

Additionally, USTRANSCOM ensures the well-being of the joint force by providing aero-medical transportation for ill or injured personnel in peace and war. USTRANSCOM’s ability to deliver an immediate force tonight or a decisive force when needed anywhere in the world allows the United States to remain the world’s only superpower.