Gen. Randall Reed, former deputy commander of Air Mobility Command at Scott Air Force Base, took over the leadership of U.S. Transportation Command from Gen. Jacqueline Van Ovost, a 2024 Wash100 Award recipient.
TRANSCOM said Friday Reed is the 15th commander of the unified functional combatant command that supports the military services, the rest of the combatant commands, defense agencies and other government organizations.
Speaking at the change of command ceremony at Scott AFB, Reed said, “The work we must do now to deter growing threats is serious and demands a sense of urgency. Nevertheless, we will never shy from the contested environment.”
Reed’s military career includes time commanding numbered air force, wing, two expeditionary operations groups and a flying training squadron, as well as holding joint, headquarters and base-level positions.
He graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1989 and was commander of the Third Air Force at Ramstein Air Base in Germany before becoming the no. 2 for AMC.
The new TRANSCOM commander was nominated to the post in July.
Gen. Jacqueline Van Ovost Retires With 36 Years of Service in the Air Force
Reed assumed TRANSCOM leadership from Van Ovost, who retired following 36 years of military service in the Air Force.
During her time leading the combatant command, TRANSCOM continuously performs its joint mobility mission, delivering ammunition, air defense systems, armored fighting vehicles and other materials to Ukraine, becoming the Department of Defense’s single manager for global fuel management and delivery, and reforming its Defense Personal Property Program.
“Over the past three years,” remarked Van Ovost, “I challenged [the TRANSCOM team] to improve readiness, build and empower teammates, defend and improve the cyber domain, and drive towards Decision Advantage. You delivered that and so much more.”
