- Air Force Maj. Gen. David Sanford has been nominated to lead DLA
- Sanford currently oversees DLA logistics operations and Joint Regional Combat Support
- The nomination comes ahead of Lt. Gen. Mark Simerly’s planned retirement in December
President Donald Trump has nominated Air Force Maj. Gen. David Sanford for promotion to lieutenant general and assignment as director of the Defense Logistics Agency.
If confirmed by the Senate, Sanford would succeed Army Lt. Gen. Mark Simerly and would become the first logistics operations director selected to lead DLA, the agency said Tuesday.
Why Was Sanford Nominated as DLA Director?
Sanford’s nomination comes as Simerly prepares to retire in December.
At a recent event, Simerly, who took the helm of DLA in 2024, highlighted artificial intelligence as “the new gunpowder” and underscored the importance of industry partnerships in strengthening military logistics and sustainment operations.
Who Is Maj. Gen. David Sanford?
Sanford is director of logistics operations and commander of Joint Regional Combat Support at DLA. As logistics operations chief, he oversees supply chain management efforts and the daily operation of DLA’s field activities in support of 2,300 weapon systems.
Before joining DLA, he was director of logistics, engineering and force protection for Headquarters Air Mobility Command.
His previous leadership roles include commander of Defense Supply Center Richmond and DLA Aviation; deputy chief of staff for logistics, engineering and force protection at Headquarters U.S. Air Force; and commander of the 635th Supply Chain Operations Wing at Scott Air Force Base in Illinois.
The Georgia State University marketing graduate holds a master’s degree in logistics management from the Air Force Institute of Technology.
