REDSTONE ARSENAL, Ala. -- Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel announced March 20 that the President of the United States has nominated Army Maj. Gen. David L. Mann for appointment to the rank of lieutenant general and for assignment as the commanding general, U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command/Army Forces Strategic Command.
Pending Senate confirmation, Mann will assume command from Lt. Gen. Richard P. Formica in a ceremony scheduled for July 9 at Redstone Arsenal.
"Dave Mann is an outstanding officer with tremendous Army and joint experience in air and missile defense," Formica said. "He previously commanded the 32d Army Air and Missile Defense Command and currently serves as CG, U.S. Army Recruiting Command in Fort Knox, Ky."
Mann will also be dual-hatted as the commander of the Joint Functional Component Command for Integrated Missile Defense. The JFCC IMD is a functional component of the U.S. Strategic Command.
Formica, who took command of SMDC in December 2010, will retire in a separate ceremony in Washington, D.C., on July 19 after 36 years of service in the Army.
"Diane and I are honored and privileged to have served with the many Soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines, civilians, and families these many years," Formica said.
"Our service here at SMDC/ARSTRAT and in JFCC IMD has been the ultimate culminating assignment for us," he added. "We have cherished our time in both commands, and we have been pleased to be connected with the wonderful communities in Huntsville and Colorado Springs. And we are honored to have served both USAKA [U.S. Army Kwajalein Atoll] and Fort Greely, Alaska."
SMDC provides trained and ready space and missile defense forces and capabilities to the Warfighter and the nation (today); Builds future space and missile defense forces (tomorrow); and, conducts research, testing, and integration of space, missile defense, cyber, directed energy, and related technologies (day-after-tomorrow).
SMDC serves as the Army force modernization proponent for space, high altitude and global missile defense. SMDC also serves as the Army operational integrator for global missile defense and conducts mission-related research and development in support of the Warfighter.
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