AMC welcomes ‘the right person at the right time’ to drive enduring change
REDSTONE ARSENAL, Ala. – During a welcome ceremony on Dec. 4, Lt. Gen. Chris Mohan, the Army Materiel Command’s deputy commanding general and acting commander, praised AMC’s newest leader, Liz Miranda, as “the right person with the right set of skills, with the right perspective and at exactly the right time to drive the enduring change we need.”
The AMC workforce officially welcomed Miranda as AMC’s new executive deputy to the commanding general in a ceremony at the command’s headquarters. Her role places her as a Tier-3 Senior Executive Service member, equivalent to a three-star general, making her the highest-ranking Army Civilian within AMC’s 165,000-strong global workforce. Many Army and community leaders attended the event, alongside Miranda’s family and friends.
Lt. Gen. Mohan remarked, “What she’s going to do over the next few years will have a significant impact over the next few decades.” Miranda has been in her role since Oct. 6, but she is not new to AMC; she has dedicated 26 years to the enterprise, primarily at the Communications-Electronics Command, one of AMC’s major subordinate commands. CECOM is charged with ensuring the readiness of the military’s Command, Control, Computers, Communications, Cyber, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (C5ISR) weapon systems.
As the lead materiel integrator for C5ISR systems, she managed a $2 billion operating budget while focusing on Army Audit Readiness objectives and internal control effectiveness. Under her leadership, supply chain performance improved markedly, achieving an unprecedented 96% supply availability in 2023, a significant rise from 68% in 2016.
Lt. Gen. Mohan emphasized her extensive experience with the Army’s Organic Industrial Base, particularly her leadership during modernization projects at the Tobyhanna Army Depot, where nearly 50 projects worth $670 million were completed.
“Her record is long and distinguished, but it boils down to this: She’s got a gift for seeing the correct path to complex challenges and for identifying areas where we can and should improve and take prudent risk,” he stated.
In her capacity as executive deputy to the commanding general, Miranda will oversee key responsibilities such as talent management, employee development and retention, supporting Army modernization efforts, and overseeing AMC’s depots, arsenals, and ammunition plants. Additionally, she will foster continuity and stability within the command.
According to Mohan, she possesses the leadership qualities essential for guiding the AMC team through transitions, demonstrating a genuine care for the workforce. “If you spend any time with her, you know that she cares deeply about the folks that actually do the work – from the truck driver to the mechanic, to the person sitting at the top of our tremendous budget and resources,” he said.
Originally from Puerto Rico, Miranda began her journey as an Army Civilian in 1993, starting her career as a GS-5 accountant.
During her address, she articulated her leadership philosophy, rooted in the Army’s values, emphasizing the importance of accomplishing the mission with professionalism and through empowering teams with a positive attitude, character, and pride.
“We will work hard, and we will be overtasked, under-resourced, and understaffed. That’s the environment we’re in. We will foster a positive unit culture by demonstrating resilience, confidence, and a focus on supporting the Army’s priorities and achieving our goals and objectives,” Miranda asserted.
In conclusion, she shared an inspiring quote from Theodore Roosevelt: “Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing.” She added, “I cannot think of a more important job than supporting and keeping our Soldiers out of harm’s way.”
