ROCK ISLAND ARSENAL, Ill. -- Col. Stacy Townsend took command of the Distribution Management Center during an assumption of command ceremony Aug. 15 on the north lawn of at Quarters One here.
Maj. Gen. Duane Gamble, commanding general, U.S. Army Sustainment Command, passed Townsend the unit flag in a symbolic representation of his assumption of command.
Gamble said this is the last change of command for the DMC, which has been a brigade-level command since 2006. He said the DMC will become a directorate within ASC headquarters.
"Stacy will lead that change, with the DMC's remarkable team," he said. "It's a natural part of the Army that we continue to change" to meet the needs of Soldiers.
The DMC is a command tasked with knowing when and where the U.S. Army Sustainment Command must deliver material and services to Soldiers at the operational and tactical points of need. It provides material management support, tracking of unit readiness, and material coordination across the Army.
Gamble said he expects Townsend to lead the way in "expectation management," meaning he expects Townsend to inform the rest of the Army about what the DMC is, how it can meet the Army's needs, and why it is important.
"I trust in your leadership -- I've served with you in combat and I've watched you throughout your great career, and I trust you are the leader we need to make that change," said Gamble. "We need a leader in the DMC that has credibility within our Army, and that's what Army colonels like you bring to the table."
Townsend thanked Gamble and Gen. Gus Perna, commanding general, U.S. Army Materiel Command, for the opportunity to command and lead the DMC. He also thanked those who supported him throughout his career.
"It's my distinct honor to be given this opportunity to be able to lead and serve DMC Soldiers and civilians who continue to build Army readiness as a part of the ASC team in the next chapter of its history," he said.
Townsend said he believes in working hard for the Army.
"Time is seldom on our side, and we must always use every precious day to increase and build a more ready and capable Army," he said. "We can never rest -- we can never be satisfied that we've done enough."
The previous commander of the DMC, retired Col. Doyle Lassitter, relinquished his command in June.
Townsend recently moved to the Quad Cities from Fort Langley-Eustis, Virginia, where he commanded the 7th Transportation Brigade (Expeditionary) for two years.
A native of Dawson Springs, Kentucky, Townsend has served in the Army since 1989 when he was commissioned as a second lieutenant. He has deployed multiple times throughout his career in support of many joint forces operations, including Operation Provide Promise in Zagreb, Croatia; Operation Joint Endeavor in Taszar, Hungary; Operation Iraqi Freedom in Baghdad, Iraq; and Operation Enduring Freedom in Kuwait.
Townsend commanded the 35th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion at Sagami Depot, Japan, when in 2011 his command was activated for Operation Tomodachi where they provided humanitarian assistance in the wake of the Tohoku earthquake and tsunami.
The ceremony included a 13-gun salute in honor of Gamble.
Jereen Phillips-Harden sang the national anthem and Chaplain (Lt. Col) David Jacob provided the invocation.
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