REDSTONE ARSENAL, Ala. -- Following the pinning of his second star, newly-promoted Maj. Gen. Edward Daly took a moment to reflect on his career and the choices he made that led him to this momentous occasion.
Quoting Yogi Berra, the famed New York Yankee who won 10 World Series and was named MVP three times, "When you come to a fork in the road, take it." Daly said that's exactly what he did.
The Jersey City, New Jersey, native spoke about a moment during his youth with his father, Ed. At Johnston Station in Liberty Park overlooking the New York harbor, his father told him that all everything would work out and God would provide the right direction and the road to travel.
"That road, the road less traveled, led me to attend the United States Military Academy, and it was one of the best decisions I have ever made," said Daly, the deputy chief of staff at the U.S. Army Materiel Command.
Daly spoke to the crowd of nearly 300 people, during his promotion ceremony at the Summit at Redstone on Aug. 28.
"I have always believed that life really comes down to a couple of key decisions, a handful of significantly life changing moments and literally the support, the love and the confidence of hundreds of people along the journey," said Daly.
Daly started his military career when he was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Ordnance Corps upon his graduation from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1987. From West Point he arrived at the officer basic course in Fort Bragg, North Carolina, where he got off to a rocky start.
"As luck had it, the day I reported in it had snowed and the fort was closing early, but I was relentless and I was going to report to my unit, introduce myself to the battalion commander, and tell him that I was ready to be a platoon leader," said Daly. "So I parked in the only parking space that wasn't filled with snow and went into the headquarters. After waiting, the battalion commander walked in shaking snow from his uniform and cursing up a storm about someone parking in his space. My first thought was it can't be me then I realized, it is me and my career is over."
He shared with the crowd how he moved his car as quickly as possible and never parked within six blocks of the headquarters for the next year.
"Somehow it all worked out and I made it here today," said Daly.
Daly joined AMC in January 2014 following a tour as special assistant to the commanding general, U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command in Fort Lee, Virginia.
"I first met him [Daly] when I traveled to Fort Lee and he briefed me," said the Commanding General of AMC, Dennis Via. "As he briefed me I said that's a special Soldier there and I'm going to keep my eye on him. So when our chief of staff position became available, I reached out very quickly."
Daly's duties at AMC include providing oversight, supervision and quality control of the primary and special staff at AMC headquarters. He serves as a principal staff advisor to the commanding general and acts as the final recommending authority on the continuing action of planning, organizing, directing, coordinating, controlling and evaluating the use of personnel, funding, materials and facilities to accomplish the mission and functions of AMC headquarters.
"In the United States Army we select officers and non-commissioned officers based on their future performance and Brig. Gen. Daly has clearly demonstrated the potential of even greater accomplishments in the future" said Via.
Daly thanked his family, friends, colleagues, mentors and the many others, including his grandmother, father and a Franciscan friar by the name of Brother Stan Kolowski who was a political prisoner in Auschwitz during World War II. They taught me the principals of faith, character, hard work, responsibility and perseverance, said Daly.
"After 28 years in the military, I know the shadows of service are getting long, but I can tell you that I remain 110 percent committed to serving in what I believe is one of the noblest of professions," said Daly. "Our Army is the best led, best equipped and the best trained force in the world and I am proud to stand guard in defense our nation, and I am excited about the opportunities of the future as we carry the torch of commitment to remain the world's premier combat force."
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