DISA Europe welcomes new commander

Army Col. Daniel Zisa assumed command of the Defense Information Systems Agency Europe Field Command from Army Col. Tilisha C. Rodgers during a change of command ceremony June 24 at Patch Barracks in Stuttgart, Germany.

Christopher S. Argo, director of DISA's J3/5/7 Directorate, presided over the ceremony and officiated the transfer of authority. As he addressed the audience, Argo highlighted the importance of DISA Europe's mission, and the leadership Rodgers provided during a critical period for the European theater.

"Regional Field Command-Europe runs DISA's mission across the European theater at a time when this theater has the full attention of the world," Argo said. "The network here does not get to pause - not for a crisis and not for a ceremony."

Argo praised Rodgers for leading the organization through a demanding operational environment and for strengthening the team that supports warfighters across the region. "Three efforts stand out: the communications that sustained Operation Enduring Freedom, the network support to Ukraine that unfolded on her watch, and the Warfighter Summit she helped bring together this past February," Argo said. "Three very different missions, one constant. When it mattered, her signal was there."

Rodgers, who commanded DISA Europe since July 2024, thanked the military and civilian workforce for their dedication and emphasized the importance of teamwork in accomplishing the mission.

Reflecting on her leadership philosophy, Rodgers compared her role to that of a basketball coach. "I didn't take a single shot. I didn't play in the game," she said. "Instead, I analyzed the scouting report, helped develop the game plan and put the right people in position to succeed."

She credited the command's accomplishments to the military members, civilians and mission partners who operate and defend the Department of War Information Network throughout the theater.

The ceremony also marked the beginning of a new chapter for DISA Europe under Zisa, a Signal Corps officer commissioned upon graduating from Marquette University in 2003. He brings more than two decades of operational, tactical and strategic experience, including multiple deployments to Afghanistan and recent service supporting Ukraine as the J6 director for Security Assistance Group-Ukraine.

Introducing the incoming commander, Argo said Zisa's background makes him uniquely qualified to lead the organization at a pivotal moment.

"If you set out to design a resume for command of the DISA European field command at this exact moment in time, it would look much like his," Argo said. "He is not here to learn how to support the European mission. He is coming straight from its most demanding current endeavor, Atlantic Resolve."

In his first remarks as commander, Zisa expressed gratitude for the opportunity to lead the organization and outlined his vision for supporting joint and coalition operations across the theater.

"In these dynamic times, our mission is the bedrock of theater operations," Zisa said."Operating, defending and sustaining the Department of War Information Network across this theater ensures our forces have the uninterrupted command and control necessary to fight and win."

He said DISA Europe will continue working closely with combatant command communicators and mission partners to deliver reliable, secure and resilient capabilities to the warfighter. "Ultimately, our charge sounds simple yet is quite complex: we must get the right data to the right decision-maker at the absolute point of relevance to maintain our technical and tactical edge over any adversary," Zisa said.

Zisa also recognized the military and civilian professionals who make the mission possible every day. "Executing a mission of that scale requires an exceptional caliber of people," he said. "The unwavering dedication and technical mastery of our civilian professionals, working shoulder-to-shoulder with our service members, is what truly drives this organization forward."

Before concluding, Zisa thanked Rodgers for her leadership and the foundation she leaves behind. "The phenomenal culture and highly successful operations at DISA Europe today are a direct testament to your leadership," he said. "You have been a key factor in this theater's mission success, and I am deeply grateful for the incredible turnover."