REDSTONE ARSENAL, Ala. -- Maintaining materiel readiness in his assigned units and those he supported across the Army is a goal Maj. Gen. Lee Ellis has worked to achieve at every level he has served.
Now, Ellis has the opportunity to work toward this readiness goal across the entire Army Materiel Command enterprise with a focus on the Army National Guard. He assumed duties as the Assistant Commanding General for National Guard Affairs at AMC in December.
"I'm very happy to be here. It's a tremendous honor -- there is so much history in this command, and how it showcases its people, what we are doing and how we are making a huge difference. I get fired up just walking down the hallways," Ellis said.
Ellis' previous assignment was the Assistant Chief of Staff, J-4 (Wartime), United States Army Korea, where he was responsible for sustainment support to U.S. forces in Korea in the case of war. His tenure there provided unique insight into how the Army is postured globally to deter threats, maintain stability in Northeast Asia and, if called upon, protect the people of the Republic of Korea. He has also spent a significant portion of his career in roles supporting Defense Support to Civil Authorities in case of natural or manmade disasters in both state and federal capacities.
"I will apply that recent experience from Korea here at AMC, to help shed light on the context of what's going on in Korea. I will also share my perspective on what large-scale operations might require and look like. Sustainment and mobilizing a force during a large-scale situation will be vital," Ellis said.
"We have gotten used to the combat operations we have had in Iraq, Afghanistan and Syria. That is very different than a large-scale kind of war. There are some issues and tensions on that side of the world that would apply in any large scale operation, and I hope to use my experience with some of that to inform, educate and share awareness, to use these experiences to help solve problems."
Originally from Enterprise, Alabama, and now 16-plus years as a Sandy Springs, Georgia, resident, Ellis commissioned as a Signal Corps officer from Alabama Military Academy in Anniston, Alabama.
He then graduated from Auburn University with a degree in accounting and followed that with a Master of Business Administration degree from Auburn, as well. He has held various positions at Guard units throughout Alabama, and deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom in Taji, Iraq. In addition, he was the Black Sea Area Support Team Director in Romania, and was the deputy commanding general, 167th Theater Sustainment Command in Anniston.
This sent Ellis on a glide path toward success, not only as a National Guard Soldier, but also as a civilian, spouse and father. Part of being a Reserve Component Soldier means obtaining a careful balance of civilian career, military career and personal life, and doing well in all three, Ellis said. As a general officer, that responsibility can be even more grave because of the lives that are directly and indirectly impacted by every decision made, he said.
Success did not come without some tough choices, though, Ellis said. His previous civilian career was in corporate America as a senior vice president for a software company while serving in the National Guard.
"It's important to get other feedback and experiences from all sources. M-day Soldiers [traditional Guard and Reserve Soldiers who perform weekend drills and annual training, but are not on full-time duty] reflect off inputs from both sources. The ability to learn from each career has allowed me to leverage experiences gained from one to do better in the other, but again the balance can be quite difficult," Ellis said.
When he returned from that overseas assignment, Ellis considered going back to a two-career life, but the Guard, he said, had a much higher operational tempo than his full-time job and he was blessed with a supportive family.
Ellis said he relies on his wife, teenage daughter and a set of 17 very close friends, some of whom he's known since the age of five, to keep his feet on the ground.
"I've known them as long as dirt. We've been getting together once a year since about three years out of college. They keep me humble. They knew me way before any of this, and that fortifies me on why we do these things, why we put the uniform on. But it is also important to experience those things so you appreciate what we have as a country and way of life," he said.
Ellis credits his leadership style to those leaders who have mentored him throughout his career.
"I had a battalion commander when I was a company commander who had an incredibly positive leadership style. It wasn't so much that you were never worried about any negative repercussions or failure; you just never ever wanted to let him down," Ellis said.
Ellis is committed to building strength, resilience and diversity throughout all components of the Army.
"In regard to diversity, not only is it a moral imperative it is an operational multiplier. Not everyone understands the incredible strength which the diversity of experience, culture and background bring to the thought process. The more diverse we are, the stronger we are," he said.
"The Army is made up of very different people, and that's the way it should be. If there was a unit made up of the same 10 people, it would be suboptimal."
Social Sharing