Chief of Public Affairs

MAJOR GENERAL STEPHEN R. LANZA
Chief of Public Affairs

Major General Stephen R. Lanza assumed duties as the Chief of Public Affairs on 7 September 2010. In this position he is responsible for all communication issues involving the United States Army including the professional development of military and civilian Public Affairs personnel. He is charged with the formulation of communication and public affairs strategies, plans and policies, and serves as the senior advisor to the Secretary of the Army; Chief of Staff, Army and other senior Department of Defense leaders on communication matters relating to the Army.

Prior to this assignment, General Lanza was the Director for Strategic Effects, J9, United States Forces-Iraq in Baghdad, Iraq. In this capacity coordinated and implemented political, economic, and communication activities on behalf of USF-I. He also served as a spokesman for USF-I, especially for the drawdown of operating forces in Iraq and Operation New Dawn.

General Lanza is a Field Artillery officer who has commanded Soldiers at all levels up to the brigade level, including command of the 5th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas through their deployment in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. He has deployed in support of Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm, Saudi Arabia; Operation Joint Guard, Bosnia-Herzegovina; and Operation Iraqi-Freedom, Baghdad, Iraq.

Major General Lanza’s other assignments include duty as the Aide-de-Camp to the Commander-in-Chief, United States Army Europe/Commander, NATO Peace Stabilization Force; Strategic Concepts Team Chief, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations, G3, at the Pentagon; Chief, Joint Capabilities Division, J-8 on the Joint Staff; and as Deputy Commanding General for V Corps, and G-3, U.S. Army Europe and Seventh Army.

He is a graduate of the US Army Command and General Staff College and School for Advanced Military Studies at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, as well as the National War College in Washington, DC, and Fellowship Seminar 21 of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He holds a Bachelor’s degree from the United States Military Academy and a Masters from Central Michigan University.