Mr. Jon Lightner assumed the duties of Deputy General Counsel for the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) in February 2020. As the DLA Deputy General Counsel, Mr. Lightner is responsible for providing legal advice and services in all fields of law and regulation concerning DLA activities worldwide, including acquisition law, ethics, litigation, intellectual property law, international and operational law, labor and employment law, procurement fraud, and environmental law.
Prior to his arrival to DLA Headquarters, Mr. Lightner served as Chief Counsel for DLA Troop Support from 2013 to 2020, the largest Major Subordinate Command (MSC) legal office within DLA. DLA Troop Support buys and manages over $19 billion worth of food, clothing and textiles, pharmaceuticals, medical supplies, industrial hardware, and construction and equipment supplies annually in support of America's Warfighters and other customers worldwide. Mr. Lightner’s duties as Troop Support’s Chief Counsel included managing and overseeing the largest contract litigation case in the history of DLA, as well as advising senior leaders on strategic acquisitions valued in the billions annually.
Mr. Lightner is a native of Pennsylvania. He graduated summa cum laude from Albright College, Reading, Pennsylvania, with a Bachelor of Arts degree in history. He received his Juris Doctor degree from Villanova University School of Law. He received a Masters of Law degree in Military Law from The Judge Advocate General’s School of the Army in Charlottesville, Virginia. He also received a Masters of Law degree from the University of Virginia School of Law, with a concentration in international and national security law. He attended the U.S. Army War College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, where he received a Masters of Strategic Studies degree.
Prior to joining DLA, Mr. Lightner had a distinguished career as an Army Judge Advocate for over 27 years, retiring from military service as a Colonel in October 2012. Mr. Lightner’s military assignments included: Instructor and Course Director, United States Military Academy, West Point, New York; Chief of International Law, Office of The Judge Advocate General, The Pentagon; Deputy Staff Judge Advocate, U.S. Army Infantry Center and Fort Benning, Fort Benning, Georgia; and Deputy Judge Advocate, U.S. European Command (EUCOM), Stuttgart, Germany. Mr. Lightner also served in numerous key leadership positions, including a tour as the Staff Judge Advocate for the U.S. Army Special Operations Command at Fort Liberty (formerly Bragg), North Carolina, where he deployed to Iraq as the senior Legal Advisor to a Joint Task Force.
Other roles include Staff Judge Advocate for the Joint Readiness Training Center and Fort Polk at Fort Polk, Louisiana, the first Legal Counsel for U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM), located in Stuttgart, Germany, and as the Staff Judge Advocate for U.S. Transportation Command (TRANSCOM) located on Scott Air Force Base, near St. Louis, Missouri.
Over his career, Mr. Lightner has received numerous awards and decorations, including the Defense Superior Service Medal; Defense Meritorious Service Medal; Legion of Merit; Meritorious Civilian Service Award; Superior Civilian Service Award; Army Staff Identification Badge; Air Assault Badge; and Parachutist’s Badge.