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The commander of the U.S. Army Security Assistance Command (USASAC) was promoted to brigadier general during a September 18 promotion ceremony at Redstone Arsenal.

With the promotion, Brig. Gen. Douglas Lowrey, an Oklahoma native of Cherokee descent, becomes the only Native American general officer on active duty. He can trace his roots back to Major George “Rising Fawn” Lowrey, the Assistant Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation.

Lowrey’s family, including his father, Grady Lowrey, and his three young sons helped pin the new rank during the ceremony. The senior Lowrey, was an infantryman in the U.S Army, and retired from a local police force in Oklahoma after 30 years.

Army Materiel Command’s Gen. Edward Daly officiated the ceremony, which was broadcast live on Facebook.

Previously, the USASAC welcomed Col. Lowrey during an August 10 assumption of command at its headquarters building. The ceremony was available virtually for friends, family and the USASAC workforce. Army Materiel Command’s Gen. Edward Daly officiated the ceremony.

Daly begin his remarks by thanking USASAC’s Deputy to the Commander, Dr. Myra Gray, for serving as executive director until Lowrey arrived.

“Thanks for your tremendous service. Thanks for being the interim commander of this great organization, and thanks for everything you’re going to continue to do as the executive director,” said Daly, noting her unparalleled professionalism and enthusiasm for the mission.

Daly highlighted the increasing importance of USASAC, noting Lowrey as the right leader for such a tall task.

“Building partner capacity has never been as complex or as critical as it is today. The commander of any logistics organization must be a strong, talented leader. (Colonel Promotable Douglas Lowrey) is a truly dedicated and professional leader, and he comes well prepared for this assignment,” said Daly.

“I personally, along with General (Gus) Perna, made the recommendation that he take this assignment because of its importance and because of his expertise,” he said.

Daly said he became acquainted with Lowrey when Lowrey served as the 409th Contracting Support Brigade commander, “and I’ll tell you I was unbelievably impressed, not only with his contracting expertise and his understanding of the acquisition process, but what he knew as a leader and how he understood the landscapes in which USASAC operates.”

Lowrey comes to USASAC from the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics and Technology, where he served as the Director of Contracting. He was selected for promotion to the rank of brigadier general and is awaiting U.S. Senate confirmation.

Lowrey noted that he’s been connected to the Army Materiel Command “in some fashion for about 15 years.” He said he can think of no better team to work for and that during his 26-plus years in the Army, he has never been more excited to take command of an organization.

To the USASAC teams throughout the U.S. and abroad, he said he is looking forward to visiting and learning the mission on the ground. To Gray and USASAC Command Sgt. Major Sean Rice, he said is impressed at what they’ve accomplished in such a short time.

Lowrey thanked his family, friends and colleagues—those physically present and those attending virtually—for their support.

In closing, he said he was once asked during the drawdown of forces in Iraq if he was concerned about getting all the personnel, including civilians and contractors, out of Iraq.

“Before I could answer, a very senior official told me, ‘I am not worried about it, nor should you be. The mission will be accomplished. We are the only Army on this planet that in 72 hours can have boots on the ground, in three days, anywhere in the world, and three days later can serve ice cream.

“AMC is the key enabler to this,” said Lowrey. “I’m beyond excited to be a part of this team, and to take command of the United States Army Security Assistance Command. Thank you.”

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USASAC is a subordinate organization of the Army Materiel Command, the primary provider of materiel to the United States Army. USASAC leads the AMC security assistance enterprise, developing and managing security assistance enterprise programs and foreign military sales.

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Note: This story is in the public domain.