U.S. Army Gen. Randy A. George, Chief of the Staff of the Army, passes the colors to Gen. Joseph A. Ryan, incoming U.S. Army Western Hemisphere Command Commanding General, during the Transition of Command ceremony at Fort Bragg, N.C., Dec. 5, 2025. The transfer of colors symbolizes the formal handover of authority, entrusting Ryan with leading the Army’s newest major command. The U.S. Army Western Hemisphere Command serves as the Theater Army for both U.S. Northern Command and U.S. Southern Command. This newly activated command unifies U.S. Army Forces Command, U.S. Army North, and U.S. Army South as the Army Service Component Command for the Western Hemisphere. Its missions include homeland defense, crisis response, regional security cooperation, and defense support to civil authorities, while also serving as the Army’s immediate response force for the region.
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The new U.S. Army Western Hemisphere Command colors are uncased by Gen. Randy A. George, the Chief of the Staff of the Army, Gen. Joseph A. Ryan, incoming USAWHC Commanding General, and Command Sgt. Maj. Nema “Mobar” Mobarakzadeh, USAWHC’s Command Sergeant Major, during a historic transition ceremony at Fort Bragg, N.C., Dec. 5, 2025. The uncasing marks the formal activation of the new command, which is expected to reshape how the Army coordinates military operations and partnerships across the Western Hemisphere. The U.S. Army Western Hemisphere Command serves as the Theater Army for both U.S. Northern Command and U.S. Southern Command. This newly activated command unifies U.S. Army Forces Command, U.S. Army North, and U.S. Army South as the Army Service Component Command for the Western Hemisphere. Its missions include homeland defense, crisis response, regional security cooperation, and defense support to civil authorities, while also serving as the Army’s immediate response force for the region.
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FORT BRAGG, N.C. — The Department of the Army activated the U.S. Army Western Hemisphere Command in a historic transition ceremony today at Fort Bragg, uniting U.S. Army Forces Command, U.S. Army North and U.S. Army South into a single, four-star operational headquarters.
The ceremony also marked the casing of the U.S. Army Forces Command colors and the retirement of FORSCOM’s commanding general. Gen. Andrew Poppas, who has led Forces Command since July 2022, is set to retire after more than 37 years of service.
“Today we become something new,” Poppas said, “but FORSCOM’s spirit of readiness, resilience and warfighting strength will not fade. Rather, that spirit will radiate throughout the Army.”
Gen. Joseph A. Ryan assumed command of the new USAWHC. He previously served as the Army’s Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations, Plans, and Training (G-3/5/7).
U.S. Army Gen. Andrew P. Poppas, outgoing U.S. Army Forces Command Commanding General (right) and Command Sgt. Maj. Nema “Mobar” Mobarakzadeh, the FORSCOM Command Sergeant Major, conduct the casing of the FORSCOM colors, officiated by U.S. Army Gen. Randy A. George, Chief of Staff of the Army, at Fort Bragg, N.C., Dec. 5, 2025. The FORSCOM colors were cased as part of the ceremony and the stand up of U.S. Army Western Hemisphere Command. The U.S. Army Western Hemisphere Command serves as the Theater Army for both U.S. Northern Command and U.S. Southern Command. This newly activated command unifies U.S. Army Forces Command, U.S. Army North, and U.S. Army South as the Army Service Component Command for the Western Hemisphere. Its missions include homeland defense, crisis response, regional security cooperation, and defense support to civil authorities, while also serving as the Army’s immediate response force for the region.
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The ceremony is a significant moment in the Army’s transformation. The establishment of USAWHC is part of a broader transformation campaign to modernize Army command structures and improve operational agility.
USAWHC is an operational warfighting theater command headquarters overseeing all Army plans, posture, operations, and power projection in support of U.S. Northern and Southern Commands — aligned with national strategic priorities.
“Western Hemisphere Command is designed for speed, flexibility and relevance to effectively respond to challenges in our complex times,” said Army Chief of Staff, Gen. Randy George. “By consolidating these headquarters and aligning the theater, we will streamline processes, eliminate redundant efforts, and free up talent and resources. This will allow us to better support our fighting formations.”
USAWHC unifies domestic-response capabilities from ARNORTH, regional engagement expertise from ARSOUTH and the large-scale readiness oversight of FORSCOM. This integration delivers uninterrupted readiness, rapid force generation and expertise in homeland defense and civil support. This enables the U.S. Army to respond more rapidly to crises and continue building strong military alliances.
U.S. Army Gen. Joseph A. Ryan is promoted to his current rank by Chief of Staff of the Army, Gen. Randy A. George, during a ceremony at Fort Bragg, N.C., Dec. 5, 2025. Ryan’s promotion preceded his taking command of the newly established U.S. Army Western Hemisphere Command. The U.S. Army Western Hemisphere Command serves as the Theater Army for both U.S. Northern Command and U.S. Southern Command. This newly activated command unifies U.S. Army Forces Command, U.S. Army North, and U.S. Army South as the Army Service Component Command for the Western Hemisphere. Its missions include homeland defense, crisis response, regional security cooperation, and defense support to civil authorities, while also serving as the Army’s immediate response force for the region.
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The new U.S. Army Western Hemisphere Command patch approved by The Institute of Heraldry effective Nov. 20, 2025, is displayed at the USAWHC activation and Transition of Command ceremony at Fort Bragg, N.C., Dec. 5, 2025. The emblem features an eagle’s head above a globe representing North and South America, symbolizing the command’s area of responsibility, strategic readiness and modernization initiatives, with four stars denoting four-star leadership. The U.S. Army Western Hemisphere Command serves as the Theater Army for both U.S. Northern Command and U.S. Southern Command. This newly activated command unifies U.S. Army Forces Command, U.S. Army North, and U.S. Army South as the Army Service Component Command for the Western Hemisphere. Its missions include homeland defense, crisis response, regional security cooperation, and defense support to civil authorities, while also serving as the Army’s immediate response force for the region.
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“Today is much more than a change of command ceremony,” Poppas said, “it’s a major step toward the merger of three powerhouse Army headquarters into one operational, transregional team that will face the nation’s top strategic priorities.”
The activation of USAWHC is the first step in a conditions-based transformation. By February 2026, USAWHC will reach its initial operational capability and will be assigned to U.S. Southern Command and U.S. Northern Command to prepare to accept Theater Army authorities and responsibilities. If all conditions are met, the command will reach full operational capability by summer 2026.
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,” Ryan said. “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.
The USAWHC mission statement is: “U.S. Army Western Hemisphere Command is the Theater Army for U.S. Northern Command and U.S. Southern Command. USAWHC enables defense of the homeland; conducts defense support of civil authorities, crisis response, and regional security cooperation; provides trained and ready land forces for global and regional employment; integrates Army capabilities into Joint and interagency operations; and ensures the ability of the Army to mobilize and employ reserve component forces to secure American interests and security in the Western Hemisphere.”
Visit USAWHC’s website for more information on the command.
Photos and videos of the ceremony are available on USAWHC’s DVIDS page.
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