Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III will officiate the change of command ceremony where U.S. Army Gen. Laura J. Richardson is scheduled to assume duties as commander of U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) from U.S. Navy Adm. Craig S. Faller. The change-of-command ceremony will take place at 1 p.m. EST, today, Oct. 29, at the command’s headquarters in the greater Miami area, Florida. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark A. Milley is scheduled to accompany Secretary Austin at the ceremony.
SOUTHCOM is one of the nation’s six geographically-focused unified commands. The command is responsible for U.S. defense and security cooperation with partner nations in the Caribbean, Central America and South America, as well as U.S. military operations in the region.
Media are invited to observe the ceremony via livestream on Defense.gov and broadcast on Channel 2 in the Pentagon.
OSD(PA) has the Secretary’s prepared remarks available on an embargoed bases. The embargo lifts at the conclusion of his remarks. If you agree to the embargo, please email osd.pa.dutyofficer@mail.mil.