DISA Pacific welcomes new commander in USS Missouri ceremony
By Lia Carvalho, Strategic Initiatives Group
August 5, 2025
Col. Hlad, Lt. Gen. Stanton, and Col. Voneida stand at attention during the DISA Pacific change of command ceremony held aboard the USS Missouri in Honolulu, July 18, 2025. (U.S. Navy photo by Chief Petty Officer Michael Barton)
In a time-honored military tradition aboard the historic USS Missouri, Marine Corps Col. Michael T. Hlad officially assumed command of the Defense Information Systems Agency Pacific Regional Field Command on July 18, taking the reins from outgoing commander Marine Corps Col. Jared C. Voneida.
The ceremony, presided over by Army Lt. Gen. Paul T. Stanton, Department of Defense Cyber Defense Command commander and DISA director, marked the 24th transition of leadership for DISA Pacific since its establishment in 1961.
Distinguished guests included Air Force Chief Master Sgt. Israel Jaeger, DCDC and DISA senior enlisted advisor; Army Brig. Gen. Michael L. Smith, U.S. Indo-Pacific Command; senior executive service leaders and international partners. Family members of both commanders were honored with traditional Hawaiian leis, while the commanders chose to make donations to the Wounded Warrior Program in lieu of the customary rose presentations.
A Legacy of Excellence Continues
During his farewell remarks, Voneida was recognized for his exceptional three-year tenure with the Defense Superior Service Medal. Under his leadership, DISA Pacific achieved a remarkable 99.98% network availability rating for Pacific warfighters, sustaining critical operations across the Indo-Pacific theater.
“Col. Voneida led his team in achieving superb network availability that sustained high operations tempo for contingency, exercise, training and real-world operations,” said Stanton. “Thank you, Jared, for a job exceedingly well done.”
This continuity of excellence is vital, as Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has recently underscored the Indo-Pacific as the Defense Department's "priority theater," emphasizing a vision of peace through strength, focused on deterring aggression and rapidly fielding emerging technologies to maintain a decisive advantage. DISA Pacific's role in delivering secure, resilient and cutting-edge defense warfighter communications is central to this strategic imperative.
New Leadership for Strategic Challenges
Hlad is now responsible for one of DISA's most strategically important regional commands, charged with maintaining advanced communications and information systems that support American and allied forces across the vast Pacific theater. His distinguished career began with an unusual path from enlisted Marine to officer, graduating as an honor graduate from Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island in 1999 before earning his commission from Centre College in 2001.
Hlad's operational experience spans some of the most demanding communications challenges of the past two decades, from hurricane relief operations during Katrina to combat deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan. His leadership of the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit's communications detachment during the 2008 Afghanistan deployment, which earned the unit the prestigious Marine Corps Lt. Col. Kevin M. Shea Memorial Award, demonstrates his ability to integrate complex communications architectures under combat conditions. This hands-on experience, combined with his advanced education including three master's degrees from the Naval Postgraduate School, Marine Corps Command and Staff College and School of Advanced Warfighting, gives Hlad both the practical knowledge and strategic thinking capabilities essential for overseeing the Pacific portion of the Department of Defense Information Network. His most recent assignment as future operations officer with Naval Amphibious Force in Bahrain further refined his understanding of joint operations and forward deployed communications requirements — experience that directly translates to supporting U.S. Indo-Pacific Command and Pacific mission partners.
“You’re the right man for the job,” stated Stanton. “You’re stepping in at an opportune time. We can actually feel the momentum right now. It’s time to grab your wheel, down shift and hit the gas. Congratulations on assuming command.”
The ceremony on the USS Missouri, steeped in tradition, marked not just a change of command, but a seamless transition crucial for the future of defense communications. With Hlad in command, DISA Pacific is poised to continue its vital work, fortifying the advanced networks essential for maintaining stability and security across the Indo-Pacific, directly supporting the DOD’s strategic vision in the region.