CARSON, Calif. –
The Air Force released the president’s appointment nominations to the grade of brigadier general March 1.
Air Force Col. Lance French, commander of the Defense Contract Management Agency’s Western Regional Command, was among the nominees. Upon Senate confirmation, he will be appointed to brigadier general.
"It has been a sincere honor to serve alongside Col. French as we navigated the pandemic without compromising mission and protecting our workforce,” said David Devlin, deputy commander DCMA Western Regional Command. “His remarkable contributions while in command at both DCMA Lockheed Martin Marietta and DCMA Western Regional Command only punctuate his extraordinary USAF contracting career."
French credits his family and their support as a driving force behind his career success.
During the Western Region change of command in July 2020, the incoming leader said, “Commanding the DCMA Western Region was my number one choice for wing command.”
In the Air Force and other services, high levels of command in joint environments are career requirements for accession to flag officer. The agency’s regional command billets are equivalent to an Air Force wing command assignment. “The scope of responsibility and the important programs worked by the region are incredible,” French said.
At the time, the region was working through the first months of the pandemic, which turned into two years of COVID-19 challenges. French’s tenure, however, has not been defined by the pandemic, but rather his unwavering support of his team members.
His 2020 remarks foreshadowed his people-first leadership tenets.
“I am humbled to be your next commander … my job is to be your advocate to ensure you have the tools, resources and proper guidance to accomplish your mission. I work for you.”
French leads 21 mission-diverse contract management offices, which work programs from unmanned aerial systems to helicopters and tankers, satellites and launch systems, and various missile and defense systems. In addition, the region provides contract oversight of the production of hundreds of thousands of parts for various weapons and operating systems for the Defense Department and NASA.
“The men and women of the Western Region are delivering combat capability to the warfighter every day, and they do it impeccably even in these trying times,” said French.
Army Lt. Gen. David Bassett, DCMA director, champions this dedicated support as it aligns with his agency’s renewed vision: “A team of trusted professionals delivering value to our Warfighters throughout the acquisition lifecycle.”
“Lance is an exceptional officer, and he’s earned this well-deserved promotion,” said Bassett. “As this nomination shows, the enlisted and officers we have at DCMA represent the best from our services. We’ve been fortunate to have Lance’s skilled hand guiding the Western Region, and I’m thankful for his trusted leadership and friendship over the past two years.”