Vice Director Lent is a combat veteran with over 35 years of government service. He began his Federal law enforcement career with the former U.S. Customs Service (USCS) in 1991, stationed in El Paso, Texas. During his tenure he served as a Customs Pilot. In 1999, Mr. Lent became an Aviation Group Supervisor. In 2004, Mr. Lent transferred to Headquarters in Washington, D.C. where he served as Program Manager for Enforcement Operations. From 2005 – 2006, Director Lent was mobilized by the U.S. Army and served as Chief, Training Strategy and Plans for the Multi-National Security Transition Command – Iraq and as an advisor to the Assistant Chief of Staff of Training, Iraqi Joint Forces Command, Ministry of Defense, Baghdad, Iraq. Following the completion of his service in 2006, he returned to the newly formed Office of Air and Marine (OAM) to continue his Program Manager duties. In 2007, Mr. Lent served as the Chief of Staff for OAM until his appointment as Director, Air Operations at the Houston Air and Marine Branch from 2008 - 2014. During 2013 - 2014, he served as the Acting Director, Air and Marine Operations for the regional Customs and Border Protection (CBP), South Texas Campaign (STC). In this role, Mr. Lent was responsible for providing oversight, coordination, and direction of flight and float operations and support within the STC corridor.

Vice Director Lent has served in a breadth of operational, staff and command military assignments on active duty and in the Reserve. He has had a prominent career in both management and aviation, accumulating over 3,600 hours of flight time in fixed and rotary-wing aircraft.

Vice Director Lent graduated from Stetson University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science in 1984. In 1999, he completed a Master of Arts degree in Management from Webster University. He completed the Senior Executive Development Program from George Washington University and the Harvard Kennedy School of Government Senior Executive Fellows Program. Mr. Lent has been recognized with numerous prestigious awards including the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medals, Army Commendation Medals, Joint Service Achievement Medal, National Defense Service Medals, Iraqi Campaign Medals, Joint Meritorious Unit Award, Army Superior Unit Award, Commissioner’s Unit Citation, and the USCS Academy Outstanding Performance and Academic Achievement Awards.