ASAM Class of 2020 Graduates Published June 5, 2020 By Master Sgt. Ashley Hyatt U.S. Air Force Expeditionary Center JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. -- Sixteen U.S. Air Force officers graduated from the Advanced Study of Air Mobility (ASAM) program June 5, 2020, at the U.S. Air Force Expeditionary Center on Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey. ASAM is an 11-month education program that a select group of Air Mobility Command officers are able to attend based on their record of accomplishments, academic skills and leadership potential. Upon graduation, students are awarded a Master of Science degree in Operations Management with a focus in Logistics by the Air Force Institute of Technology. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, guest speaker U.S. Army Gen. Stephen R. Lyons, U.S. Transportation Command commander, was unable to attend the ceremony, but provided a video with remarks where he expressed the importance of the students’ hard work. “As a result of your hard work over the last year, you are now among the most sought after experts in the joint mobility enterprise,” said Lyons. “I am excited about the positive impacts you will have on the joint force as you apply the tools acquired in this academic setting with your passion for lifelong continued learning and leadership development.” Lyons gave motivational words to the students to prepare them for their future roles. “You will be charged with responsibility to integrate our vast range of transportation platforms within our global posture of nodes and routes, all enabled by highly sophisticated operations centers,” said Lyons. “You are part of the most powerful and revered global mobility enterprise in the world, one capable of delivering an immediate force tonight and surging a decisive force when needed.” The director and chancellor of the Air Force Institute of Technology, Dr. Todd I. Stewart, also provided a video of encouragement to the graduating class. “What is truly important is not what you have learned at ASAM, but what you will do with what you have learned throughout the balance of your military career,” said Stewart. “I’m confident that your AFIT graduate program and the other components of the ASAM program have prepared you very well to make important contributions to our Air Force, our new Space Force, the other services, the joint commands, defense agencies, our allies and partners, and ultimately to our national security.” ASAM’s mission is to cultivate a core of mobility experts to advise combatant commanders and lead the Air Mobility Command in the future. During the ceremony, six students were recognized for their outstanding achievements throughout the program: 2020 Dr. James T. Moore Graduate Research Prize- Maj Donovan Matteson, 2020 Jerome G. Peppers, Jr. Outstanding Student Award- Maj Collin Lohr 2020 Sole Field Award in Technology Systems Analysis- Maj Kort Koser ASAM Class 2020 Honor Graduates- Maj Mary Ashley Stanton and Maj Travis Harvey ASAM Class 2020 Distinguished Graduates- Maj Giovanna Espegio and Maj Collin Lohr General Ronald R. Fogleman Award for Excellence- Maj Collin Lohr