WASHINGTON, D.C. –
Colonel Robert Lyman has been honored with the 2017 Military Leadership Award from the Association of Defense Communities (ADC) for excellence in building and sustaining innovative community-military partnerships at Joint Base Charleston and for an active commitment to outreach with local and state stakeholders. South Carolina Military Task Force Executive Director Bill Bethea presented the award alongside ADC leaders at a special ceremony in Washington, D.C., during the 2017 Defense Communities National Summit hosted by ADC
Col. Lyman is commander of the 628th Air Base Wing and Joint Base Charleston until a change of command ceremony on July 6, after which he will become director of communications for Joint Special Operations Command at Fort Bragg, N.C.
“The Military Leadership Award recognizes an individual whose work helps advance the mission of ADC toward relationships that make our military and our communities stronger,” Association President Michael Cooper said. “Col. Lyman certainly does that. During his time in Charleston, he has been a strong leader not only for the men and women he leads on base but also for those in the community at large and has helped forge partnerships that will last long beyond his time in the region.”
His policy of spearheading military-civilian outreach and collaboration has spawned beneficial initiatives inside and outside the fence that support the base’s mission while improving the quality of life for many people on base and in Charleston. He has worked on these initiatives while running Joint Base Charleston, which hosts more than 60 Department of Defense and federal agencies and the 628th Air Base Wing, which supports more than 90,000 airmen, sailors, soldiers, Marines, Coast Guardsmen and their families.
“We are proud that Col. Rob Lyman is the recipient of the 2017 Military Leadership Award from the Association of Defense Communities,” said Mary Graham, Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce chief advancement officer. “This award validates Col. Lyman’s outstanding leadership and community partnership between Joint Base Charleston and the Charleston Region, which has been honored and recognized as a Great American Defense Community this year by ADC.”
ADC (www.defensecommunities.org) builds resilient communities that support America’s military. It is the nation’s leading association representing communities and states with a significant military presence and their partner organizations. It unites the diverse interests of communities, states, the private sector and the military on issues such as protecting defense infrastructure, community-military partnerships, defense real estate, mission growth, base redevelopment, and support for military families and veterans.