Photo By Vanessa Schell | Maj. Gen. Eric P. Shirley, outgoing commanding general, 1st Theater Sustainment...... read more read more
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FORT KNOX, Ky. – In a rare occurrence of two general officers exchanging seats, Maj. Gen. Eric P. Shirley, commanding general, 1st Theater Sustainment Command, relinquished the colors to incoming Brig. Gen. John “Brad” Hinson, June 26, 2025. Hinson’s own change of command at Army Sustainment Command occurred two weeks prior, and Shirley will assume command there once he arrives at the unit in Rock Island Arsenal, Illinois.
Shirley took command June 2023 and quickly divided time between Fort Knox and the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility, as was necessitated by a higher level of critical attention after the October 7 attack on Israel. Under his leadership, the 1st TSC was at the forefront of key missions such as the humanitarian aid efforts to Gaza and the implementation of the Army Central Manufacturing and Innovation Lab.
“Our ‘First Team’ was leading the way,” recalled Shirley. “It is our collective ability to be anticipatory, agile, and adaptive enough to be prepared for the unforeseen. These traits are a logistician’s best friends when the environment is as complex and ever-changing as it is right now within the CENTCOM AOR.”
Throughout the ceremony, 1st TSC Soldiers, Civilians, and Family reflected on Shirley’s past two years of leadership and welcomed their new commander, Hinson, and his wife, Elizabeth.
“While it feels like just yesterday that I was here in this very spot assuming command of the 1st TSC,” said Shirley. “Reality tells me that was two years ago. It has been a tremendous experience to be able to provide guidance, direction, and set the conditions in the 1st TSC, and it is difficult for me to say goodbye to that today.”
Like Shirley, Hinson also has extensive experience in sustainment warfighting and its crucial function in Army operations. His background as a Northwestern State University graduate, through which he commissioned into the Quartermaster Corps, launched him into an enduring career in sustainment.
“When I was selected to be a general officer, I had a wish list in my head for assignments,” said Hinson. “One was to command an ESC, second was to command a TSC, and third was to command Army Sustainment Command, but even more so I wanted to command 3rd ESC and 1st TSC, which I have now been able to accomplish. I have been very blessed.”
Alongside Hinson, recent incoming Command Sgt. Maj. Adam Lepley, the 1st TSC’s senior enlisted advisor, previously served as the command team of the 3rd Expeditionary Sustainment Command, who currently fall under the 1st TSC during their deployment in CENTCOM.
“1st TSC under Shirley has been the premier TSC,” praised Hinson. “They are disciplined and tactically focused, concentrating on support all over the CENTCOM AOR.”
As Hinson’s military ambitions come to fruition with the assumption of the 1st TSC, he strives to uphold the organization’s creed and the critical missions in the Middle East.
“We will continue to support the Soldiers and Civilians of first TSC and take care of you and your Families,” concluded Hinson. “I will give everything I have to 1st TSC to support our Soldiers at Fort Knox and the warfighter in the CENTCOM AOR. Thank you very much. First Team!”
One week after taking command of the 1st TSC, Hinson was promoted to major general.
The 1st Theater Sustainment Command provides centralized sustainment Command and Control and executes predictive and precise operational-level sustainment to the Army, Joint Force, and Unified Action Partners to enable multi-domain operations in support of the Combatant Command (USCENTCOM) and the Theater Army/Combined Forces Land Component Command.
| Date Taken: | 06.26.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 07.16.2025 11:54 |
| Story ID: | 542906 |
| Location: | FORT KNOX, KENTUCKY, US |
| Web Views: | 19 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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