Fueling military operations across an entire hemisphere requires constant vigilance. As the global security environment rapidly evolves, the leaders of Defense Logistics Agency Energy Americas are already looking toward the battlefields of the next decade.
"What got us to 2026 will not get us to 2030," Army Col. Alphonso Simmons Jr. warned his formation during a change of command ceremony at the Lone Star Flight Museum, June 26. "Our past successes are merely the foundation, not the blueprint, for future victory. As the saying goes, 'If you stay ready, you don't have to get ready.'"
With that final charge to maintain high readiness, Simmons passed the unit guidon to DLA Energy Commander Navy Rear Adm. George Bresnihan, officially relinquishing his command. Bresnihan then handed the colors to Army Col. John Short, entrusting him to lead the agency through its next chapter.
The time-honored transfer of authority marked the end of a two-year tenure for Simmons, who guided DLA Energy Americas through demanding military operations and devastating natural disasters. Under his watch, the unit managed 408 Defense Fuel Support Points and executed $3.8 billion in bulk petroleum contracts—a massive operational footprint that ensured warfighters across North, Central, and South America, as well as the Caribbean, had the energy required to execute their missions.
Bresnihan praised Simmons for his steady hand while supporting operations in the U.S. Southern Command area of responsibility, including Operations Absolute Resolve and Southern Spear. He also highlighted the command's critical role in providing fuel support to the Federal Emergency Management Agency following Hurricanes Helene and Milton in 2024.
"Col. Simmons, for the past two years you have exhibited the highest level of professionalism, operational oversight and unwavering dedication to our nation’s civilian workforce and service members," Bresnihan said. "You leave this command, and the Department of War, stronger and more resilient than you found it."
Reflecting on his time at the helm—and a career that included managing theater-wide operations for the 1st Theater Sustainment Command—Simmons credited the expertise of his team. He noted his pride in transitioning nearly 100 percent of his personnel to a data-analytics mindset.
"DLA is a great organization; they have great leaders and great coworkers," Simmons said. "This is my first time working in this type of capacity with so many civilians. Here, you have true continuity within the command, which is your civilian workforce."
As Simmons prepares to retire, he leaves the complex mission in the hands of Short, who arrives fresh from the U.S. Army War College in Pennsylvania. Short brings extensive joint and multinational experience to the role, having previously served as deputy commander for the 3rd Division Sustainment Brigade in Georgia and as the plans chief for the U.S. Combined Forces Command C4 in South Korea.
Stepping into an organization that supports four major combatant commands and domestic disaster response, Short embraced the challenges awaiting him and his new workforce.
"I'm thrilled to have the opportunity to lead a premier team of professionals where the stakes are this high and where our daily impact ensures the warfighter maintains a positional advantage through evolving challenges," Short said. "This is exactly where I wanted to be."
Gen AI was used in preparation of this article, which was researched, reviewed and edited by DOW personnel.