July 18, 2003 — U.S. Army Lt. Col. James "Steely" Lloyd, a St. Thomas native and a 1973 graduate of Charlotte Amalie High School, is going to hang up his combat boots at a ceremony and reception honoring him in the Washington, D.C. area.
Lloyd, a 26-year veteran, received his commission as a second lieutenant after graduating from Central State University in Wilberforce, Ohio, with a bachelor's degree in accounting in 1977.
Kenneth Greaves, also a retired Army veteran, a CAHS Class of '73 graduate, and close friend of Lloyd, is coordinating a retirement ceremony and party on August 2. "I have watched 'Steely' move up through the ranks on his own merits," Greaves said. "Unlike many officers, who usually have a mentor to help them negotiate and navigate the many obstacles to advancement (especially for minority soldiers) in the highly competitive Officer Corps, Steely did it through hard work, a fierce sense of duty, a deft diplomatic demeanor and considerable aplomb."
Lloyd, the son of Randolph and Rita Samuel of Estate Tutu, is married to Antoinette Lloyd, and they have three children, all of whom Lloyd spoke of proudly in a telephone interview. Son Jamal is deployed with the U.S. Marine Corps in the Middle East. Daughter Keva is with the Environmental Protection Agency's Atlanta operation, and daughter Tiffany is a senior studying fashion design in Atlanta. Lloyd has a great many aunts, uncles, relatives and friends on St. Thomas and on St. Croix, he said.
Lloyd said he has had a "great career, enjoyed his military career and feels good about it." But now, he feels, it's time to try something new and, particularly, "to reconnect with family and friends." He hopes ultimately to return to live in the Virgin Islands and be a "productive citizen." But that's looking a ways ahead: despite the August celebration, his final day on active duty with the Army is December 31, 2003.
He visited home officially for a 2000 small business-federal connection conference, in his present position is assistant to the director of the Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSADBU) at the Pentagon.
Lloyd has served in a variety of command and staff positions at the battalion, brigade, division, and Department of Army level, said a release with details of his military career. At OSADBU, his primary responsibilities include secretarial level-appeals and legal concerns from the Small Business Administration head, regarding small business preference programs and providing recommendations to the Secretary of the Army.
His first assignment was with the 1st Battalion 62nd Air Defense Artillery, 25th Infantry Division, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii, where he commanded three different air defense platoons.
His subsequent Army tours include the U.S. Army Armament Munitions and Chemical Command (MTMC), Rock Island, Ill.; Military Traffic Management Command, Rotterdam, Netherlands; 3rd Battalion, 4th Air Defense Artillery, 3rd Infantry Division (Mechanized), Kitzingen, Germany; Military Traffic Management Command Headquarters, Falls Church, Va.; Defense Information Systems Agency, Arlington, Va.
Other assignments include MTMC Liaison Officer to the Army's Logistical Operations Center during Operations Desert Shield/Desert Storm. In this position, he was responsible for the successful deployment of U.S. forces to the Persian Gulf.
In 1992, Lloyd was assigned as the Chief of the Administrative Branch. U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command, Huntsville, Ala. His branch was responsible for developing an acquisition strategy, and managing the Command's most complex system engineering and technical assistance contract, valued in excess of $500 million. He was assigned as a senior advisor to the Source Selection Advisory Council for the $70 million Theater High Altitude Area Defense support contract. In 1995, Lloyd served as the Deputy Program Manager for Electronic Commerce/Electronic Data Interchange and Chief of the Acquisition Division of the Defense Information System Network Program Office.
In 1998, Lloyd was assigned to the U.S. Central Command, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, to serve as the Host Nation Support Officer. Demonstrating a tireless commitment to excellence, he oversaw a myriad of support issues with Coalition counterparts, Saudi Ministry of Defense, Coalition aviation officers, and officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He facilitated the transportation of over $22 million worth of supplies, telecommunications equipment, construction material and organizational equipment. His liaisons resulted in a saving of over $1.4 million in fees and taxes.
In a recent statement Lloyd said he "believes that a Reserve Officer Training Corp [ROTC] program at the University of the Virgin Islands would be most beneficial to the military and the young men and women of the Virgin Islands. There are many talented and dedicated servicemen and women from the territory that are currently serving in the armed forces, and some will eventually move up into the officer ranks."
Lloyd's awards include: the Department of Defense Meritorious Service Medal, an Army Meritorious Service Medal (1 Oak Leaf Cluster), the Joint Service Commendation Medal, the Army Commendation Medal (1 Oak Leaf Cluster), the Army Achievement Medal (1 Oak Leaf Cluster), and the Air Assault Badge.
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