Four champions of warfighter readiness join Troop Support’s Hall of Fame

Four former Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support leaders were enshrined in the organization’s Hall of Fame on April 2, an event that brought together family members, friends and former colleagues to celebrate decades of service and innovation.

Army Maj. Gen. Eric P. Shirley, Richard Ellis, Michael McCall and the late Elaine Jordan are the newest members of the Hall, which was created in 1994 to honor former employees whose contributions have had a lasting impact on DLA Troop Support.

Presiding over his first induction as Troop Support commander, Army Brig. Gen. Sean P. Kelly praised the four honorees’ legacies across logistics, acquisition and workforce development. “Each of our inductees has paved the way for our current and future logistics leaders as our very own vanguards of warfighter readiness, known for their mentorship and innovation within their respective areas of expertise,” Kelly said.

Shirley led DLA Troop Support from 2021 to 2023, guiding the organization through the COVID-19 pandemic and overseeing the Army’s Green Service Uniform rollout while advancing a global posture to unify supply chains for diverse warfighter needs. Now commanding Army Sustainment Command, he credited the Troop Support workforce for the honor. “Certainly 33 years ago, as I entered my journey of Army service, I never thought I’d be here,” Shirley said. “What it truly means to be global joint logistician, I learned here. This is where I learned the stakes of the global mission from a supply chain perspective and an industry perspective. You are indispensable partners to the joint force.”

Ellis, who served at Troop Support from 2009 to 2022 in roles including deputy commander, acquisition executive and acting commander, was recognized for advancing acquisition strategies and the finer points of execution to support the agency’s mission. He helped integrate strategic planning, budgeting and supply management while launching mentoring programs such as the Troop Support Training Academy and the Innovative Success and Partnership in Reaching Excellence (InSPIRE) Program. “Whenever anyone would ask me about the Troop Support workforce, I would tell them it’s the hardest working, most dedicated and most innovative team I’ve ever had the privilege of working with,” Ellis said. “I am very grateful and humbled by this recognition, but it would not have been at all possible without your hard work, dedication and focus.”

McCall, a former Small Business director whose career spanned 39 years, was cited for reshaping how the agency engages industry. He championed collaboration among small businesses, large firms and mandatory sources such as National Industries for the Blind to strengthen support to the military and other government partners. “I am very humbled and appreciate this honor,” McCall said. “At Troop Support, I was fortunate enough to be involved with rewarding work, by doing the best possible to support warfighters. And at the same time, developing innovative approaches to engage economic programs that supported blind, disabled [workers] and small businesses.”

Jordan, a former Industrial Hardware branch chief who spent 41 years with DLA Troop Support and its legacy organizations, was inducted posthumously. Colleagues remembered her as a sought-after mentor and leader with deep expertise in contracting and quality assurance. Beyond her technical accomplishments, she helped organize college fairs, mentored high school students and championed initiatives including the Federal Women’s Program. Family members attended the ceremony in her honor, reflecting on her example and service. “She was a wonderful example to us, and she leaves a wonderful legacy, and I hope that her legacy continues to live on,” Frazier said.

Frazier added that the recognition reflects how Jordan’s peers continue to celebrate her impact. “There’s a saying to ‘give people their flowers while they’re still alive,’ you did that while she was alive,” Frazier said. “Her peers nominated her. They’re still pouring into her. They’re still giving her ‘her flowers,’ and I thank you, because now that shows us that you continue to think about her, just as we do and to be in the Hall of Fame, she’s our star, and we thank you for placing her there.”

The ceremony concluded with the unveiling of Hall of Fame plaques by the inductees alongside former colleagues and family members; Jordan’s children and grandchildren participated in unveiling hers.