By Tisha Swart-Entwistle, Combined Arms Center Public Affairs Office
Former Combined Arms Center Commanding General, Lt. Gen. Michael Lundy, retired at Fort Leavenworth Jan. 8, 2020, ending a 32 year military career.
Lundy took command of CAC in May, 2016 and relinquished command to Lt. Gen. James Rainey during a ceremony Dec. 16, 2019.
Commissioned as an aviation second lieutenant in 1987, Lundy began the first of his seven combat, humanitarian and stability deployments in 1990 when he was deployed in support of Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. Lundy's other deployments include operations in Haiti, Bosnia, Afghanistan and three to Iraq.
Gen. Paul E. Funk II, Training and Doctrine Command Commanding General, hosted the ceremony. Funk said that being involved in ceremonies like this has taught him that all Soldiers have unique and interesting stories that led them to serve and made them the person they are.
"Mike Lundy is no exception," Funk said.
Funk told the story of Lundy's college friend, Mark Jones, asking Lundy to tag along on an Army ROTC field training exercise while they were students at McNeese State University in Louisiana.
"As a budding botanist (Lundy was majoring in botany), Mike had never really given serious thought to the military," Funk Said. "But tempted by the prospect of trudging through the woods, eating old c-rations and sleeping on the cold ground in the rain - Mike agreed."
Funk said Lundy was hooked and signed up for the ROTC program a few weeks later. Lundy also met his wife Paula during his time at McNeese State and the couple recently celebrated their 32nd wedding anniversary, Funk said.
"She (Paula Lundy) has been a dedicated advocate for Army families at every stop she and Mike make," Funk said. "Paula has been a remarkable and selfless Army spouse."
Funk said that Lundy's career has been nothing short of amazing, serving all around the world with multiple combat tour and has been a key member of command and staff positions in challenging environments.
"He thinks and operates at the highest level," Funk said. "Nowhere has that been more evident than his last three years as the CAC CG."
Funk said that, in 2016, when the Army needed to make the operational change from counterinsurgency to large scale combat operations, Lundy was charged with driving that change. Funk credited Lundy's efforts in identifying the Army's 17 critical capability gaps. The study that became the foundation for all readiness and modernization discussions across the Army.
"Mike, the Combined Arms Center and the Army as a whole are unquestionably better because of your work and your leadership," Funk said. "Luckily for our Army, Mike won't be going far as he heads into retirement… Mike is going to continue leading and developing Army Soldiers and leaders as part of the Mission Command Training Center's Senior Mentor Program here at Fort Leavenworth."
Lundy began his remarks by recognizing the people from the different chapters in his career who were able to attend the ceremony.
"You heard the chapters, but as I look in this audience I see all the pages of the last 33 years," Lundy said. "There's a lot of really important pages that are here and I'm really thankful that all of you are here… all of you made a huge impact on me."
Pointing at the front row, Lundy said the team that made the greatest impact on him was his family.
"To Paula, who has been a great teammate… and raised two phenomenal daughters who I'm more proud of than anything in the world, thank you," Lundy said.
Lundy said that as he looked around the room, everyone had one thing in common.
"You've made me better as a person and as a leader," Lundy said. "I'm very proud to have served with all of you."
Lundy then said he is bidding everyone farewell but not goodbye.
"I still want to contribute, I'm still on this team, I will be a Soldier for life and I'm honored to serve with you all." Lundy said.
During the ceremony Lundy was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal, and presented with a Presidential Letter of Appreciation, a Certificate of Retirement and a United States Flag.
Lundy's previous awards and decorations include the Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit with three oak leaf clusters, Bronze Star Medal with three oak leaf clusters, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal with five oak leaf clusters, Air Medal with two valor devises and the numeral 5, Humanitarian Service Medal, Joint Meritorious Unit Award, Valorous Unit Award, Combat Action Badge, Master Aviator Badge, Parachutist Badge and the Ranger Tab.
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