Brig. Gen. Michael J. Lally, relinquished command of the 3d Sustainment Command (Expeditionary), to Col. Robin B. Akin during a change-of-command ceremony here Aug. 21.
Maj. Gen. Vincent Brooks, the commander of 1st Infantry Division and Fort Riley officiated the ceremony, which took place only two weeks after the unit returned from Iraq.
Lally commanded the 3d ESC for three years as it transformed from the 3d Corps Support Command to the 3d ESC. Lally assumed command of the 3d COSCOM at Wiesbaden, Germany, September 28, 2006 after the unit\'s return from Operation Iraqi Freedom. Lally also headed the relocation of the unit from Germany to Fort Knox where it was re-designated as the 3d ESC. He then prepared the unit to become the first one star command to deploy from Fort Knox, when it left for Iraq in May 2008.
"The 3d ESC is a great unit," Brooks said. "If you were part of U.S. forces in Iraq, you were sustained by this (unit)."
The 3d ESC recently returned from Iraq to Fort Knox, Kentucky with all of their Soldiers. During their deployment the 3d ESC accounted for and issued more than 600 million dollars worth of ammunition, facilitated, tracked and issued more than 1.5 billion dollars worth of fuel, tracked more than 47,000 convoys, processed more than 559,000 transportation movement requests and provided logistical support and base life support to more than 285,000 Soldiers and civilians across Iraq daily.
"Despite attacks, weather, dust storms and poor roads we provided world class sustainment and distribution to Coalition Forces when and where they needed it," Lally said. "No warfighter had to look over his shoulder and wonder about support."
Akin, who redeployed from Iraq to take command of the 3d ESC, is the second female to lead the 3d ESC, the first being Brig. Gen. Rebecca S. Halstead. Akin is a Nashville, Tn., native and graduate of the University of Tennessee.
"The forces in Iraq could not have accomplished what we did there without Brig. Gen. Lally's and Command Sgt. Maj. Tennant's leadership and the positive and proactive team of Soldiers that were under the command of the 3d ESC,"
Akin said. Akin's previous assignments include serving as the Battalion commander, 264th Corps Support Battalion (Airborne), 1st Corps Support Command (Airborne). From June 2008 to 2009, she was the Multi-National Forces-Iraq Chief of Logistics and the Director of the Drawdown Fusion Center. Akin's military schools include: the Quartermaster Officer's Basic and Advanced Courses, Airborne School, Parachute Rigger Course, Jumpmaster Course, Logistics Executive Development Course, Support Operations Course, Command and General Staff College and Armed Forces Staff College and the U.S. Army War College. A few of Akin's awards include: the Legion of Merit, the Bronze Star Medal (2) and Defense Meritorious Service Medal.
"To the Soldiers and Families of the 3rd ESC, I feel humbled and honored to take on the position as your leader alongside Command Sergeant Major Tennant," Akin said. "(I) look forward to our next adventure in support of our Army's missions, goals and objectives, in order to continue our legacy, 'Sustaining the line.'"
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