FORT LEONARD WOOD, Mo. — Col. Alexander Lovasz, Maneuver Support Center of Excellence and Fort Leonard Wood deputy commanding officer, was promoted to brigadier general during a ceremony July 10, 2026, in the Chemical Corps Regimental Room of the John B. Mahaffey Museum.
The presiding officer for the ceremony, Maj. Gen. Christopher Beck, MSCoE and Fort Leonard Wood commanding general, said he was honored to be part of the ceremony celebrating “a strategic leader for our Army.”
“Today is a special day to celebrate Col. Lovasz’s excellence,” Beck said. “For some perspective there were 4,371 officers who were commissioned in year group 1998 with which is (Lovasz’s) year group. Of those only 25 have been selected for promotion to general officer. That’s half of 1%. That is a big deal. I am truly humbled to have the opportunity to participate today.”
Beck said officers are not promoted for what they have already accomplished, “but rather for what our nation needs them to do in the future. It is about the ability and the potential to serve at the next level.”
And just as five points form a general's star, five essentialqualitiesdefine great leaders.
“There are five characteristics that great leaders like Alexander Lovasz have exemplified in the past and will exemplify in the future — they include being a proven tactical leader, being proven technically competent, being a combat warfighter, being a visionary and strategic thinker, and finally being a patriotic American,” Beck said.
Following the official promotion, oath of office, and presentation of general officer flag, belt and pistol, Lovasz took his turn at the podium.
“I am truly humbled by this event and all of you here today,” Lovasz said. “You don’t get here alone — as they say, it takes a village and mine includes my family, who you see here today as well as countless others, friends and colleagues who have been a part of my tribe for the last 28 years.”
During remarks, he thanked his family for their support and named several Soldiers and Department of the Army Civilians whose mentorship and guidance shaped his military career.
“Thank you for coming out to support this event during your busy schedule. It is truly humbling. I look forward to continuing to work together to make Fort Leonard Wood an assignment of choice, to train Soldiers and drive change,” Lovasz said.
In his current assignment, Lovasz serves as the deputy commanding general for MSCoE and Fort Leonard Wood.
Lovasz attended Florida State University where he was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Chemical Corps in 1998.
His awards and decorations include the Legion of Merit, Defense Superior Service Medal, Bronze Star, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Joint Service Commendation Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Joint Service Achievement Medal, Army Achievement Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Iraqi Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Korea Service Medal, Overseas Service Medal, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization Medal and a Joint Meritorious Unit Award.
More photos from the promotion ceremony are available on the[Fort Leonard Wood Flickr page](https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjCYPF3).
| Date Taken: |
07.14.2026 |
| Date Posted: |
07.15.2026 13:47 |
| Story ID: |
569999 |
| Location: |
FORT LEONARD WOOD, MISSOURI, US |
| Web Views: |
20 |
| Downloads: |
0 |
PUBLIC DOMAIN
This work, Army promotes Lovasz to brigadier general, by Melissa Buckley, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
