Name: Lance Lehr
Hometown: El Paso, Texas
Business Position: Independent Small Business Consultant
Civilian Education: Master’s Certificate in Program Management, Villanova University. Bachelor of Science, Kaplan University. Associate Degree in Organizational Leadership, Excelsior College. Lance also graduated the Keystone Course in Military Joint Operations at National Defense University.
Organizations/Clubs/Philanthropies: Lance is on the board of the Alliance for Regional Military Support that works to ensure that Fort Bliss, White Sands Missile Range and Holliman AFB remain an integral part of Americas national defense strategy. In addition, Lance is very active in the community as the Chairman of the City of El Paso’s Veterans Affairs Advisory Council (Mayor’s appointee) as well as a member of the Community Development Steering Committee, a member of Employer Support to the Guard and Reserve (Texas Committee), a member of the National Small Business Leadership Committee, and a life member in the Association of the United States Army (Omar Bradley Chapter), where he works to inform, educate and connect El Paso to its Soldiers. Lance works tirelessly to enhance the veteran, servicemember and spouse community in El Paso.
Civilian Honors: National recipient of the AUSA SMA William G. Bainbridge medal.
Military Retirement Rank and Date, Service and Key Positions: Retired: Command Sergeant Major (Nominative), October 2015
Name of Spouse and Children: Lance has been married to his wife Heidi for 40 years and has three grown children – Rachel, Alyssa and Eden.
Army Reserve Ambassador Lance Lehr spent nearly 33 years in the U.S. Army, serving all over the U.S. and world during war and peace, with five deployments spanning the first Gulf War in 1991 through Bosnia to Operation Iraqi Freedom and New Dawn in 2011. Lance’s last position was as the Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Commanding General of the 1st Armored Division and Fort Bliss, where he mentored 35,000 Soldiers spread over six major commands and helped shape the future force. Lance fell in love with the El Paso area and made his home there. Lance retired in October 2015 and immediately started to look for ways to give back to the community. Lance received multiple awards of the Legion of Merit, the Bronze Star Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal as well as 19 additional awards and decorations.