Mr. Perry L. Knight
Acting Deputy Commander/Chief of Staff

DLA Distribution 

Retired United States Army Col. Perry L. Knight became the chief of staff,
DLA Distribution in July 2009.

A native of Buena Vista, Virginia, he was commissioned a second lieutenant in
the Transportation Corps upon graduation from the Virginia Military Institute
in 1982. He holds a bachelor’s degree in English with a minor in economics.
He also holds a master’s degree in strategic studies from the U.S. Army War
College, Carlisle, Pennsylvania.

Knight’s assignments include the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Logistics Directorate,
the Pentagon; Director, Logistics Operations, U.S. Forces Command, Fort
McPherson, Ga.; Commander, 53rd Transportation Battalion, also located at
Fort McPherson, Ga.; and Brigade Operations Officer, 598th Transportation Group, Rotterdam, Netherlands.

Additionally, he served in numerous positions in the First Infantry Division including division logistics officer;
executive officer of the 541st Combat Support Battalion; division transportation officer; support operations officer;
and operations officer for the 166th Aviation Brigade, all located at Fort Riley, Kan.

Knight also served on the Department of the Army Staff, Logistics, and as the aide-de-camp to the commander,
Military Traffic Management Command, and held several positions in the Netherlands and Germany as a platoon
leader, executive officer, and commander.

Knight served in uniform as DLA Distribution’s chief of staff beginning in July 2006, until he assumed his current
position.

His military training includes the Transportation Officer Basic and Advanced Courses, the U.S. Army Command
and General Staff College, and the U.S. Army War College.

His personal awards include the Defense Superior Service Medal, the Legion of Merit, the Bronze Star Medal, the
Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters, the Joint Service
Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters, the Joint Service Achievement Medal, the Army Commendation
Medal with three oak leaf clusters, and the Army Achievement Medal with three oak leaf clusters.

His other decorations include the Southwest Asia Service Medal, the Kuwaiti (Saudi Arabia and Kuwait) Liberation
Medal, the Armed Forces Service Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Support Medal, the Joint Meritorious Unit
Award with two oak leaf clusters, the Army Meritorious Unit Award, the Army Superior Unit Award, and the
National Defense Service Medal.

He is also authorized to wear the Joint Chiefs of Staff and Department of the Army Identification Badges.