Redstone Arsenal:
Leadership Profile
Lt. Gen. Ed Daly, U.S. Army Materiel Command
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or Lt. Gen. Ed Daly, a person’s life centers on the “3-5-100” rule. He believes everyone has three defining moments, five key decisions, and hundreds of influential people who will impact their life. The U.S. Army Materiel Command (AMC) Deputy Commanding General who also serves as Redstone Arsenal’s senior commander says his choice to attend West Point and join the Army was a key decision and defining moment. “When you come to a fork in the road, take it,” he said. “That road, the road less traveled, led me to attend the United States Military Academy, and it was one of the best decisions I have ever made. West Point gave me the opportunity to serve something bigger than myself and prepared me for my next 30-plus years of service in the Army.”
Daly, a native of Jersey City, New Jersey, and the son of a career police officer, was the first in his family to graduate from college. He attributes his father’s values and character with setting the foundation for his own work ethic and success. 30
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“My father worked three jobs to put me through high school,” Daly said. “From him, I learned the importance of hard work, dedication, and service to others.” Daly started his military career, commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Ordnance Corps, upon his graduation from West Point in 1987. From West Point, he arrived at the officer basic course in Fort Bragg, North Carolina, where he got off to a rocky start. “The day I reported, it had snowed and the fort was closing early, but I was relentless and wanted to report to my unit, introduce myself to the battalion commander, and tell him that I was ready to be a platoon leader,” said Daly. “So I parked in the only parking space that wasn’t filled with snow and went into the headquarters. After waiting, the battalion commander walked in shaking snow from his uniform and yelling about someone parking in his space. That’s when I realized my career was over.” Instead, Daly’s career progressed, with past assignments including serving as the commander of Army Sustainment Command, and chief of Ordnance and commandant of the U.S. Army Ordnance School. He commanded in combat and led Soldiers during Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm, in both Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan. When Daly pinned on his third star in August 2017, he was one of the first in his West Point graduating class to reach the rank. “Every day, I am honored and grateful to continue wearing the uniform, and do my part to make even a small difference in the – continued on page 32 A HUNTSVILLE/MADISON COUNTY CHAMBER PUBLICATION