AMERICA'S FIRST CORPS

Lieutenant General Matthew W. McFarlane is the Commanding General of First Corps.

He hails from Burke, VA, and was a distinguished military graduate at James Madison University, where he commissioned as an Infantry officer in 1992.

Lieutenant General McFarlane served in Ranger, Airborne, and Mechanized Infantry formations, with extensive experience in both conventional and special operations. He has commanded at the Company through Division level while serving at a variety of duty stations in the continental United States, Italy, Alaska, and Hawaii. His operational and combat experience includes leading Soldiers in Kosovo, Afghanistan, and Iraq, and Syria.

As a General Officer, Lieutenant General McFarlane served as the Deputy Commanding General (Operations) in the 82d Airborne Division, the Senior Military Assistant for the Deputy Secretary of Defense, the Commanding General of the 4th Infantry Division at Fort Carson, CO, the Deputy Commanding General for the U.S. Army Pacific (USARPAC), the Commanding General, Combined Joint Task Force - Operation Inherent Resolve in Iraq, and most recently, the Deputy Commanding General, I Corps.

Lieutenant General McFarlane holds a Bachelor of Business Administration Degree from James Madison University and Master’s Degrees in Policy Management from Georgetown University, Management from Webster University, and National Security and Strategic Studies from the National War College. He also completed the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Fellows Program, Seminar XXI.

Lieutenant General McFarlane’s awards and decorations include the Defense Distinguished Service Medal, the Distinguished Service Medal, three Bronze Star Medals, the Combat Infantryman Badge with star, the Expert Infantryman Badge, the Master Parachutist Badge, and the Ranger Tab. Lieutenant General McFarlane is also a Distinguished Member of the 75th Ranger Regiment, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, and the 503d Infantry Regiment (Airborne).

Lieutenant General McFarlane is married and has two grown sons.

BG Harrington graduated as a Distinguished Military Graduate from Fordham University and received his commission as a Second Lieutenant in Army Aviation in 1997.

Following Flight School and the Officer Basic Course, BG Harrington was assigned to 2-101 AVN REGT at Fort Campbell, KY where he served as an AH-64D platoon leader, battalion assistant operations officer, and battalion operations officer. After graduating from the Infantry Captains Career Course in 2002, he served in 3-6 Cavalry Regiment at Camp Humphreys, Korea where he commanded C/3-6 CAV and D/3-6 CAV. Upon completion of command, BG Harrington served as an attack aviation company trainer and battalion operations trainer at the National Training Center from 2005-2007.

In 2007, BG Harrington was assigned to 101st Combat Aviation Brigade where he served as the 2-17 Cavalry Regiment Operations Officer during Operation Enduring Freedom VIII-IX, the 1-101 Aviation Regiment Operations Officer and Executive Officer, and the 101st CAB Operations Officer during Operation Enduring Freedom X-XI.

After completing the College of Naval Command and Staff in Newport, RI in 2012, BG Harrington returned to 101st CAB where he commanded 101st CAB (Rear) (Provisional) before taking command of 1-101 Aviation Regiment from 2013-2016, deploying the battalion in support of Operation Freedom’s Sentinel in Afghanistan.

Following attendance at the U.S. Army War College, BG Harrington commanded the 82nd Combat Aviation Brigade from 2017-2019. He then joined the U.S. Army Staff in the Pentagon and served in multiple positions, including Deputy Director, Army Aviation and Executive Officer to the Vice Chief of Staff, Army with duty as Director of the U.S. Army People First Task Force.

In 2021, he was assigned to the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) where he served as the Deputy Commanding Officer for Support. From 2022-2024, BG Harrington commanded the 1st Multi-Domain Task Force at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, WA, and in July 2024, he assumed duties as the Special Assistant to the Commanding General, I CORPS where he currently serves.

BG Harrington is married and he and his wife, Jennifer, have two sons, Jeremy (13) and Sebastian (9) who both enjoy playing baseball and spending time outdoors in the Pacific Northwest.

Brigadier General Cotman was born and raised in Hampton, VA. He was commissioned in the Quartermaster Corps through the United States Military Academy in 1994.

His first duty assignment was with the 24th Corps Support Group, Fort Stewart/Hunter Army Field, GA where he served as the Executive Officer for Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 260th Quartermaster Battalion. He then served in the 260th Quartermaster Battalion as a Platoon Leader and Executive Officer for 110th Quartermaster Company and finally as the Battalion S-1.

BG Cotman later served as the Petroleum Officer for the 8th United States Army, Yongsan Garrison, Republic of Korea. Next, he was assigned to Fort Gregg-Adams, VA where he served as a Petroleum and Water instructor and later commanded the 16th Quartermaster Company, 49th Quartermaster Group. After command, he completed Training with Industry with the ExxonMobil Corporation. He then served in the 2d Infantry Division, Camp Casey, Republic of Korea, as the Division Support Command Materiel Management Officer.

BG Cotman was then assigned to the 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, NC. He initially served as the Battalion Operations Officer, 307th Forward Support Battalion. He was then assigned to the 782nd Main Support Battalion as the Support Operations Officer. He later returned to the 307th Forward Support Battalion and deployed to Operation Enduring Freedom as the Materiel Management Officer. In the newly transformed, 307th Brigade Support Battalion, he served as Battalion Operations Officer and the Battalion Executive Officer during Operation Iraqi Freedom.

He was then assigned as the Executive Officer to the Vice Director of the Army Staff and later served in the Joint Staff J-4 Logistics Directorate. Next, he commanded the 82nd Brigade Support Battalion, 3rd Brigade Combat Team. 82nd Airborne Division. After completing battalion command, he served as the Senior Sustainment Observer, Coach, Trainer at the Joint Readiness Training Center, Fort Johnson, LA. He then returned to the Republic of Korea where he served as the Chief, Plans and Exercise Division, United States Forces Korea (USFK) J4. He then assumed command of DLA Energy Americas, Houston, TX. After command, he served as the Force Development-Logistics (FDL) Division Chief, HQDA G-8 and then as the Executive Officer to the Deputy Chief of Staff, G-4. BG Cotman and his family moved to Joint Base Lewis-McChord, WA where he took command of 593rd Expeditionary Sustainment Command in May 2024.

BG Cotman holds a Master’s Degrees in Business Administration from Webster University and in National Resource Strategy from the Dwight D. Eisenhower School, National Defense University.

His awards and decorations include the Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medal, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Senior Parachutist Badge, Combat Action Badge, Joint Chiefs of Staff Identification Badge, and Army Staff Identification Badge.

BG Cotman is married and has two sons.

Canadian Army Brigadier-General Eric Landry serves as the deputy commanding general for operations with America's First Corps.

Born in Montreal, BGen Eric Landry joined the Canadian Armed Forces in 1994 and served in the Army Reserve with the Royal Canadian Hussars. In 1997, he transferred to active duty and joined the 12th Canadian Armoured Regiment in Valcartier and served as a troop leader during Op PALLADIUM in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Promoted to Major, he deployed twice to Afghanistan in 2007 as J35 (Chief of Plans) of Joint Task Force-Kandahar and as the last tank squadron commander in 2010.

In 2015, he became the 25th Commanding Officer of the 12th Canadian Armoured Regiment. He commanded the Regiment during three domestic operations: Op NANOOK and NUNALIVUT in the Canadian North and Op LENTUS during the floods in Quebec in 2017. He was promoted to Colonel in 2018 and appointed the Deputy Commander of Joint Task Force – IMPACT in the Middle East. Upon his return, he was appointed Chief of Staff for the 1st Canadian Air Division in Winnipeg. He became the 16th Commander of the 2nd Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group on the 21st of August 2020. He was promoted to his current rank of brigadier general in July 2023.

He holds an MBA from University of Montreal, a Master’s in Defense Studies from the Royal Military College of Canada and a Master’s in Strategic Studies from the US Army War College.

He and his wife Julie are parents of three teenagers: Vincent, Éloïse and Olivier. He loves fishing and downhill skiing, enjoys running and understands the basics of ice hockey.

U.S. Army Colonel Phillip H. Lamb is the chief of staff of America's First Corps.

The son of a career Army officer, Col. Lamb was a distinguished military graduate from Creighton University, Nebraska, in 1999, and commissioned as an Army aviation officer.

He eventually became a master aviator: qualified on the Bell OH-58 Kiowa, Boeing AH-64 Apache and Eurocopter UH-72 Lakota.

Col. Lamb has four operational deployments: as a Platoon Leader to Iraq in 2003, Company Commander to Iraq from 2008 to 2009, Brigade Operations Officer to Afghanistan from 2012 to 2013, Aviation Task Force Commander to Afghanistan from 2017 to 2018.

Following his 2009 Gen. Omar N. Bradley Office of the Secretary of Defense Joint Chiefs of Staff Fellowship, his Pentagon utilization tour included: deputy legislative assistant to the 17th Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, followed by service in the U.S. Department of the Army Headquarters G-3/5/7 Aviation Directorate (DAMO-AV).

Col. Lamb left the Pentagon to serve in Germany as a battalion and brigade operations officer. Subsequently, he returned to the Pentagon nominatively assigned to the staff for the 38th and 39th Army Chiefs of Staff. Additionally, he worked in the J-8 Force Structure, Resources, and Assessment Directorate as the director of the Future Vertical Lift - Joint Capabilities and Integration Cell.

Before his assignment to Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington, Col. Lamb served as the senior aviation trainer at the Joint Multi-National Readiness Center in Hohenfels, Germany. He assumed command of the Joint Base Lewis-McChord Garrison, from 2021 to 2023.

In June 2023, Col. Lamb became Chief of Staff for America's First Corps.

Col. Lamb received a Bachelor of Science degree in Sports Medicine from Creighton University. He is also a graduate of the University of North Carolina-Greensboro’s Center for Creative Leadership Program, and a recipient of Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Seminar XXI certificate. In 2009, Col. Lamb earned his Masters degree in Public Policy Management from Washington D.C.'s Georgetown University, as part of the Bradley Fellowship. He is also a 2019 graduate of the U.S. Army War College, earning a Masters degree in National Security Studies.

Col. Lamb and his wife, Victoria Lamb (Tory), have two daughters.