In a historic ceremony Friday, U. S. Representative Kathy Castor welcomed 59-year-old Army General Lloyd Austin, III during a change of command ceremony for U. S. Central Command at MacDill Air Force Base.
Rep. Castor said, “today I was reminded that ending the war and bringing our troops home is one of the reasons I first ran for Congress. General Austin led our troops out of Iraq, and as head of U. S. Central Command, he will now lead more than 30,000 troops out of Afghanistan to bring them home throughout the next year.
“The ceremony also brought Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel to MacDill for the first time under his new charge, and we were proud to showcase the incredible workforce and intelligence that exists here.”
Gen. Austin has broken barriers throughout his 36-year military career, and is now the first African American appointed to lead U. S. Central Command.
Gen. Austin is a native of Thomasville, Georgia, and graduated from the United States Military Academy (West Point) with a B. S. degree in June 1975. He also earned a Master’s Degree in Education from Auburn University, and a Master’s Degree in Business Management from Webster University. He is a graduate of the Infantry Officer Basic and Advanced Courses, the U. S. Army Command and General Staff College, and the U. S. Army War College.
Among the commands Gen. Austin has held are: Army Vice-Chief of Staff, United States Forces in Iraq, XVIII Airborne Corps, 10th Mountain Division, 3rd brigade, 82nd Airborne Division, 2nd Battalion, and the 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment.
Gen. Austin has been awarded the Defense Distinguished Service Medal four times, the Army Distinguished Medal three times, a Silver Star, and he received the Defense Superior Service Medal twice.
