TEXARKANA, Texas - Hundreds of distinguished guests, local officials and depot members gathered for the Red River Army Depot change of command ceremony June 29, as Col. Daniel G. Mitchell relinquished command of the depot to Col. Doyle Lassitter.
Officiating the ceremony was Maj. Gen. Kurt J. Stein, commanding general for TACOM Life Cycle Management Command.
Music for the ceremony was provided by the Army Material Band, Redstone, Ala. Also playing an integral part for the event was the honor guard from Ft. Lee, Va. with Maj. Robert Keck as the Commander of Troops.
“To my new team at Red River, I am sure that during the next few years we will face a new set of challenges that will test our metal,” said Lassitter. “We must continue to build quality products that meet the timelines supporting our Soldiers and the needs of our military and our nation.”
In the true spirit of Texas, Lassitter’s wife, Christine, was presented a bouquet of yellow rose buds. “Yellow is the color of the new beginning and symbolizes Mrs. Lassitter’s arrival as the new first lady of the Red River Army Depot,” said Marshal McKellar, narrator for the ceremony. “In time the rose buds will bloom, as will her relationship with the soldiers, civilians and families of the command.”
Mitchell’s wife, Lori, was presented a bouquet of full bloom red roses representing the end of her journey fulfilled at the depot. Each presentation was made on horseback by Rhonda O’Neal, RRAD, and Alice Lee, Defense Finance and Accounting.
“The first time we visited Red River and Texarkana we were impressed not only by the friendliness of everyone we met, but also of the close bond and connection between the communities, the leadership of all the various organizations and the linkage with the depot,” said Lassitter. I found this very unique and have never seen this in other assignments.”
Born in Pensacola, Fla., Lassitter is a distinguished military graduate from the University of Florida with a Bachelor of Science in Materials Engineering. He was commissioned as an Ordnance Officer in 1989. After holding many leadership positions in various operations, he was selected to attend the Naval Postgraduate School where he earned a Master of Science in Logistics Management.
Following this assignment, he became the Executive Officer for the Chief of Ordnance and later served in the Commanding General’s Command Plans Group at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md.
After attending the Army Command and General Staff College in 1999-2000, Lassitter became the Support Operations Officer for the 34th Area Support Group, Korea. In August 2001 he was assigned as the Plans Officer in the 101st Corps Support Group, Fort Campbell. During this assignment he developed the force package to deploy Logistics Task Force 561 and then LTF 129 in support of Operation Enduring Freedom I and II.
In May 2002 he deployed to Bagram, Afghanistan to assume duties as LTF 129's Support Operations Officer. Lassitter became the Executive Officer May 2003 and deployed with the unit back to Afghanistan in support of OEF IV. He then served June 2004 through May 2006 as the Ordnance Major Assignment Officer at Human Resources Command in Washington.
In 2006, Lassitter assumed command of the 129th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion. He deployed with his battalion October 2007 to Al Taqaddum, Iraq where the unit provided logistics support to Army and Marine units operating throughout Al Anbar Province. The battalion redeployed to Fort Campbell December 2008 and Lassitter relinquished command March 2009.
He was reassigned to US Central Command as the J4 Afghanistan Planner May 2009 and assumed his the position as Chief, Logistics Plans Division in August 2010.
Lassitter’s awards and decorations include the Bronze Star with two oak leaf clusters, Meritorious Service Medal with five oak leaf clusters, Army Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters, Army Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster, Meritorious Unit Medal with oak leaf cluster, Army Superior Unit Medal, Combat Action Badge, Airborne Badge and Air Assault Badge.
He and his wife have three children and one granddaughter.
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