Steve Lyons is a Senior Fellow for the National Defense University supporting the Pinnacle, Capstone, and Keystone programs. He also serves as Strategic Advisor and Board Director for several organizations.
He retired from the U.S. Army in December 2021 following over 38 years of active service culminating as the 13th commander of U.S. Transportation Command (TRANSCOM). TRANSCOM is one of 11 Presidentially appointed and Senate confirmed combatant commands in the Department of Defense. TRANSCOM operates the multibillion-dollar defense transportation system, routinely deploying and sustaining military forces, providing aerial refueling, medical aerial evacuation, and humanitarian assistance to support US national security goals around the globe. In 2021 he led the mobility operation that enabled the historic evacuation of over 124,000 Afghans and other non-combatants from Kabul international airport.
He began his career in Germany during the Cold War and subsequently held a wide range of assignments to include command of troops at every level, multiple combat deployments, and over eight years of experience in joint (multi-service) assignments. As a battalion commander in 2003, he led more than 1,200 Soldiers as part of the 3d Infantry Division ground assault to liberate Baghdad. He subsequently spent more than 40 months deployed to the U.S. Central command area of responsibility in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom, Afghanistan.
A native of Rensselaer New York, General Lyons graduated from the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) and was commissioned a second lieutenant in the US Army in 1983. He holds two master’s degrees, one from the Naval Postgraduate School in supply chain management; and the second from the Industrial College of the Armed Forces in national resource strategy. His awards include the defense distinguished service medal, the master parachutist badge, and numerous leadership awards. He has been recognized in the Congressional Record and inducted into the Hall of Fame at the 82d Airborne Division, Naval Postgraduate School, U.S. Army Materiel Command, and U.S. Army Ordnance Corps.
Following his retirement from the military he was appointed by the President of the United States to be the Special Envoy for Ports and Supply Chains holding that position until January 2024. As a key member of the White House Supply Chain Disruption Task Force, he led collaboration among industry, labor, academic, and government stakeholders to address pandemic induced bottlenecks impacting inflation and consumer confidence. During his tenure as Special Envoy he played a central advisory role in resolving railroad, parcel freight, longshore labor contracts, and led a government interagency Unified Coordination Group (UCG) focused on domestic crisis response.
GEN (Ret) Lyons and his wife of 35 years reside in Davidson, North Carolina.