U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Joseph M. Lestorti, director of the Inter-American Defense College, presented the Legion of Merit to Maj. Gen. Marco Antonio Alvarez Reyes, commander of the 1st Military Region, during a ceremony in Mexico City on September 22, 2026.
Lestorti presented the award on behalf of U.S. Southern Command commander Gen. Francis Donovan. The award recognized Alvarez Reyes for his service as a previous president of the Inter-American Defense Board.
During the visit, Lestorti also met with senior Mexican defense education leaders from CODENAL, UNIVAV, CESNAV and UNIPLACE.
