Lt. Gen. Garrett named new U.S. Army Central commander

Lt. Gen. Michael X. Garrett, former chief of staff for U.S. Central Command in Tampa, is the new commander of U.S. Army Central in Sumter, the Army’s planning and war fighting arm for the Middle East and Afghanistan.

Garrett replaces Lt. Gen. James L. Terry, who took the reins of U.S. Army Central two years ago and for the last 15 months has been leading Operation Inherent Resolve — the coalition attacks on the group calling itself Islamic State.

Garrett, 54, will now assume command of the ground wars in Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan — work made more complicated because of an ongoing refugee crisis and the recent terror strikes in Paris.

“I am thankful for the opportunity to continue to serve,” Garrett said during his promotion ceremony from two-star to three-star general prior to the change of command on Tuesday. “I will do my best.”

The day’s events also included a retirement ceremony for Terry, who leaves after 37 years in the Army. The north Georgia native is one of only a handful of soldiers who have commanded combat troops at the division, corps and army level, both in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Gen. Lloyd Austin, commander of U.S. Central Command — which controls all air, ground and naval forces in the Middle East and Southwest Asia — called Terry “the tip of the spear” for the most challenging regions in the world.

“He always took the toughest jobs,” Austin, a four-star general, said. “They were done right and done well.”

Shaw is home to both U.S Army Central, which controls ground forces in the Middle East and Southwest Asia, and U.S. Air Force Central, which controls air forces.

Although both entities have forward headquarters in Kuwait and Qatar, respectively, the presence of those commands means that the wars in the Middle East and Afghanistan are being planned and executed from Sumter.

Garrett is a former battalion commander in the famed 82nd Airborne Division, brigade commander in with the 25th Infantry Division,commanding general of United States Army Alaska, and deputy chief of staff for United State’s Forces-Iraq.

He is married to wife, Lorelei, and they have two children: Samantha, 21, and Michael, who is a sophomore at the United States Military Academy at West Point.

Garrett’s awards include the Distinguished Service Medal, Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit with two oak leaf clusters and the bronze star with oak leaf cluster.

Austin called Garrett “a seasoned and highly capable war fighter ... a team player and a team builder.”

This story was originally published November 17, 2015 at 2:55 PM with the headline "Lt. Gen. Garrett named new U.S. Army Central commander."