The Army has combined three major units into a single organization responsible for all Army operations in support of both U.S. Northern and U.S. Southern commands.
Last week’s activation of the U.S. Army Western Hemisphere Command will unify the domestic response missions currently performed by the U.S. Army North, the Latin America and Caribbean-focused operations of the U.S. Army South, and the large-scale readiness oversight from the U.S. Army Forces Command.
Western Hemisphere Command is designed to provide the speed and flexibility needed to respond to challenges in a complex world, Gen. Randy George, the Army chief of staff, said in a statement.
“By consolidating these headquarters and aligning the theater, we will streamline processes, eliminate redundant efforts, and free up talent and resources,” Gen. George said. “This will allow us to better support our fighting formations.”
The Army aims for Western Hemisphere Command to meet its initial operational capability by February 2026 and be assigned to both the U.S. Northern Command and the U.S. Southern Command. Full operational capability is expected by the summer.
Gen. Joseph Ryan was selected as the founding commanding general of the U.S. Army Western Hemisphere Command. He was formerly the Army’s Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations, Plans and Training.
“Today, we continue in the Army’s rich history of transformation — combining Forces Command, Army North and Army South — to form the United States Army Western Hemisphere Command,” Gen. Ryan said Friday. “The Army is making an enormous investment in this transformation, combining three important, effective, and historically capable commands into one. It is our responsibility to deliver returns on that investment.”
