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Presidential Debate 2020: Who is the 'General of Logistics'? How Paul Ostrowski became focus of vaccine delivery

'We have our generals lined up on the one in particular that is the head of logistics, and this is a very easy distribution for him,' Trump said

President Donald Trump and Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden locked horns in the final presidential debate 2020. Moderated by Kristen Welker, it was held at Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee on Thursday, October 22, from 8 pm to 9.30 pm CDT. The debacles started with their response on Covid-19 and Trump defended his stance saying it saved lives.

When asked for his gameplan as America deals with the after-effects of Covid-19, the POTUS said that a vaccine is coming soon. When Welker cross-questioned if the vaccine was ready, Trump said: "I think it will be by the end of the year. I think it has a good chance. There are two companies within a matter of weeks and I think it will be distributed very quickly."

He then added, "I don't know that they are counting on military the way I do. But we have our generals lined up on the one in particular that is the head of logistics, and this is a very easy distribution for him. He's ready to go as soon as we have the vaccine, and we expect to have 100 million vials. As soon as we have the vaccine he is ready to go."

No sooner did he say that, the question buzzing in everyone's heads was who is the head of logistics? "Trump is saying his plan for distribution of a Covid-19 vaccine is using the military via a General who specializes in logistics. Biden reminding people that Trump has done this song and dance before with no follow through," one tweet read and another said, "President expresses support for his logistics guy for #OperationWarpSpeed to distribute a #Covid19 vaccine - retired @Army Gen Paul Ostrowski."

Who is Paul Ostrowski?

With more than 25 years of experience in acquisition, operational and Joint assignments, Lieutenant General Paul A Ostrowski graduated from the United States Military Academy in 1985. He earned a Master of Science degree in National Resource Strategy from the National Defense University’s Industrial College of the Armed Forces in 2006. 

According to the official bio, he currently serves as the Principal Military Deputy to the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics and Technology (ASA (ALT)) and Director of the Army Acquisition Corps. Prior to this assignment, Lieutenant General Ostrowski served as the Deputy Commanding General for Support, Combined Security Transition Command-Afghanistan.

He also served as the Deputy for Acquisition and Systems Management, Office of the ASA (ALT) in Washington, DC, from September 2014 to March 2016. Lieutenant General Ostrowski was assigned as the Program Executive Officer, Program Executive Office (PEO) Soldier at Fort Belvoir, Virginia, from April 2012 to September 2014.

Meanwhile, when Biden was asked the same question, he said, "What I would do is make sure that we have everybody encouraged to wear a mask all the time. I would make sure that we move in the direction of rapid testing, investing in rapid testing. I would make sure that we set up national standards as to how to open up schools and open up businesses so they can be safe."

Attacking Trump, he also said, "The fact is, when we knew it was coming, when it hit, what happens, what are the president say? He said, don't worry, it will go away. It will be gone by Easter. Don't worry, the warm weather. Inject bleach. He said he was kidding when he said that but a lot of people thought he was serious. A whole range of things the president has said, even today, he thinks we are in control. We are about to lose 200,000 more people."