ROCK ISLAND ARSENAL, Ill. — After three years away, Maj. Gen. Gavin Gardner recently paid a visit to one of his former duty stations.
June 2020 through May 2022, the 8th Theater Sustainment Command’s commanding general served as the commander of the Joint Munitions Command, which is headquartered at the Rock Island Arsenal in Illinois.
On May 29, 2025, Gardner emphasized to JMC’s workforce the crucial role they have played in the past, continue to play in the present, and will play in the future.
“First and foremost, thank you for what you do,” said Gardner, who last July assumed command of the 8th TSC, which is based at Fort Shafter in Hawaii. “It’s great to see faces that I know. I keep up with quite a few people from this command, because obviously, it means quite a lot to me personally and professionally.
“This workforce does amazing work and will continue to do so,” he added. “What everybody wants is what you all produce, the world’s best munitions.”
From 17 subordinate locations, JMC provides the joint forces with ready, reliable, and lethal munitions at the speed of war, sustaining global readiness. The command strategically positions munitions worldwide to enable rapid responses and meet combatant commander needs, prioritizing assets to bolster deterrence.
Gardner, who left JMC to become the Director for Logistics and Engineering (J4), U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, at Camp Smith in Hawaii, a position he held from June 2022 through June 2024, talked a lot about requirements for the Indo-Pacific, a region that includes the Indian Ocean, and the western and central Pacific Ocean, along with the surrounding landmasses. JMC will be involved in those plans.
“Know that JMC and its subordinate installations all have a key role to play in some form or fashion. It is the next generation of munitions that we need your expertise on,” Gardner said. “You can’t have a weapons system without bullets/munitions and that’s where JMC comes in.
“Your role remains unchanged. JMC’s four core missions are the same as when I was here. Produce, distribute, store and demil, you do that better than anybody else,” he added. “All those things are as critical today as they’ve always been.”
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