ASC commanding general addresses local business executives

By Sgt. 1st Class Shannon Wright, ASC Public Affairs OfficeMarch 6, 2015

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1 / 2 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Maj. Gen. Kevin O'Connell, commanding general, U.S. Army Sustainment Command, stands with Tara Barney, President and CEO of the Quad Cities Chamber, following the Quad Cities Executive Club Breakfast at the iWireless Center in Moline, Illinois, Mar. ... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
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2 / 2 Show Caption + Hide Caption – (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

MOLINE, Ill. -- Maj. Gen. Kevin O'Connell, commanding general, U.S. Army Sustainment Command, addressed a large group of Quad Cities business executives during the annual Quad Cities Executive Club Breakfast at the iWireless Center, here, Mar. 6.

The general spoke of the command's importance to the Army's overall mission, its global impact and his role as senior mission commander of Rock Island Arsenal.

"The main impact of my role, as senior commander of Rock Island Arsenal is to make Rock Island Arsenal as strong as it can be," he said. "I think it's a great place to live, work and play."

O'Connell also emphasized ASC's involvement in the community.

"Community leaders agree that the entire region benefits by having the Army Sustainment Command located here, and the command benefits by its close ties with businesses and people who live and work in this area," he said.

Quad Cities Chamber President and CEO, Tara Barney, said it has been a long-standing priority for the Chamber to be a strong partner for Rock Island Arsenal, referring to RIA as an "economic engine."

"For the past several years, top leadership from Rock Island Arsenal have come to kind of share context and to help the business community become more knowledgeable," she said. "It's great to learn more about this national treasure that our community has the privilege of hosting."

The general also included in his brief the world as he sees it today, describing economic uncertainty, violent extremism and terrorist threats, cybersecurity challenges, and global humanitarian crises.

"The world today is very complex," he said. "Things are changing so quickly that it's hard to predict what's on the horizon. We're doing things now that we didn't even know about six months ago."