Leadership of the United States Southern Command
This is a list of all commanders, deputy commanders, senior enlisted leaders, and chiefs of staff of the United States Southern Command.
Current combatant command staff
Alvin Holsey, Commander 
Evan Pettus, Military Deputy Commander 
Julie L. Nethercot, Chief of Staff 
Jeff E. Elliott, Director, Manpower and Personnel (J1)[1]
Dustin A. Shultz, Director, Intelligence (J2)[2]
Brendan C. McPherson, Director, Operations (J3)
Douglas R. Burke, Director, Logistics (J4)[3]
Julian C. Cheater, Director, Plans and Policy (J5)[4]
Anne-Marie R. Wiersgalla, Director, Communication Systems (J6)[5]
Kevin J. Bostick, Director, Exercises and Coalition (J7/9)[6]- Adam Winkleman, Director, Resources and Analysis (J8)[7]
- Javier A. Reina, Deputy Commander for Mobilization and Reserve Affairs[8]
List of leaders of the United States Southern Command
Commanders
| Commander of the United States Southern Command | |
|---|---|
Emblem of the United States Southern Command | |
 | |
| United States Department of Defense | |
| Type | Unified combatant commander |
| Abbreviation | CDRUSSOUTHOM[9] |
| Reports to | President of the United States Secretary of Defense |
| Seat | MacDill Air Force Base, Florida, U.S. |
| Nominator | Secretary of Defense |
| Appointer | The president with Senate advice and consent |
| Term length | 2–3 years (approx.) |
| Constituting instrument | 10 U.S.C. § 167 |
| Formation | November 1947 |
| First holder | Willis D. Crittenberger |
| Deputy | Deputy Commander, United States Southern Command |
| No. | Commander | Term | Service branch | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portrait | Name | Took office | Left office | Term length | ||
| 1 | Lieutenant General Willis D. Crittenberger (1890–1980) | November 1947 | June 1948 | ~ 213 days |  U.S. Army | |
| 2 | Lieutenant General Matthew B. Ridgway (1895–1993) | June 1948 | October 1949 | ~ 1 year, 122 days | U.S. Army | |
| 3 | Lieutenant General William H. H. Morris Jr. (1890–1971) | October 1949 | April 1952 | ~ 2 years, 183 days | U.S. Army | |
| 4 | Lieutenant General Horace L. McBride (1894–1962) | April 1952 | June 1954 | ~ 2 years, 61 days | U.S. Army | |
| 5 | Lieutenant General William K. Harrison Jr. (1895–1987) | June 1954 | January 1957 | ~ 2 years, 214 days | U.S. Army | |
| 6 | Lieutenant General Robert M. Montague (1899–1958) | January 1957 | February 1958 | ~ 1 year, 31 days | U.S. Army | |
| 7 | Lieutenant General Ridgely Gaither (1903–1992) | April 1958 | July 1960 | ~ 2 years, 91 days | U.S. Army | |
| 8 | Lieutenant General Robert F. Sink (1905–1965) | July 1960 | January 1961 | ~ 184 days | U.S. Army | |
| 9 | General Andrew P. O'Meara (1907–2005) | 6 January 1961 | 22 February 1965 | 4 years, 47 days | U.S. Army | |
| 10 | General Robert W. Porter Jr. (1908–2000) | 22 February 1965 | 18 February 1969 | 3 years, 362 days | U.S. Army | |
| 11 | General George R. Mather (1911–1993) | 18 February 1969 | 20 September 1971 | 2 years, 214 days | U.S. Army | |
| 12 | General George V. Underwood Jr. (1913–1984) | 20 September 1971 | 17 January 1973 | 1 year, 119 days | U.S. Army | |
| 13 | General William B. Rosson (1918–2004) | 17 January 1973 | 1 August 1975 | 2 years, 196 days | U.S. Army | |
| 14 | Lieutenant General Dennis P. McAuliffe | 1 August 1975 | 1 October 1979 | 4 years, 61 days | U.S. Army | |
| 15 | Lieutenant General Wallace H. Nutting (1928–2023) | 1 October 1979 | 24 May 1983 | 3 years, 235 days | U.S. Army | |
| 16 | General Paul F. Gorman (born 1927) | 24 May 1983 | 1 March 1985 | 1 year, 281 days | U.S. Army | |
| 17 | General John R. Galvin (1929–2015) | 1 March 1985 | 6 June 1987 | 2 years, 97 days | U.S. Army | |
| 18 | General Frederick F. Woerner Jr. (1933–2023) | 6 June 1987 | 1 October 1989 | 2 years, 117 days | U.S. Army | |
| 19 | General Maxwell R. Thurman (1931–1995) | 1 October 1989 | 21 November 1990 | 1 year, 51 days | U.S. Army | |
| 20 | General George A. Joulwan (born 1939) | 21 November 1990 | October 1993 | ~ 2 years, 314 days | U.S. Army | |
| - | Major General Walter T. Worthington Acting | October 1993 | 17 February 1994 | ~ 139 days |  U.S. Air Force | |
| 21 | General Barry McCaffrey (born 1942) | 17 February 1994 | 1 March 1996 | 2 years, 13 days | U.S. Army | |
| - | Rear Admiral James Perkins Acting | 1 March 1996 | 26 June 1996 | 117 days |  U.S. Navy | |
| 22 | General Wesley Clark (born 1944) | 26 June 1996 | 13 July 1997 | 1 year, 17 days | U.S. Army | |
| - | Rear Admiral Walter F. Doran (born 1945) Acting | 13 July 1997 | 25 September 1997 | 74 days | U.S. Navy | |
| 23 | General Charles E. Wilhelm (born 1941) | 25 September 1997 | 8 September 2000 | 2 years, 349 days |  U.S. Marine Corps | |
| 24 | General Peter Pace (born 1945) | 8 September 2000 | 30 September 2001 | 1 year, 22 days | U.S. Marine Corps | |
| - | Major General Gary D. Speer Acting | 30 September 2001 | 18 August 2002 | 322 days | U.S. Army | |
| 25 | General James T. Hill (born 1946) | 18 August 2002 | 9 November 2004 | 2 years, 83 days | U.S. Army | |
| 26 | General Bantz J. Craddock (born 1949) | 9 November 2004 | 19 October 2006 | 1 year, 344 days | U.S. Army | |
| 27 | Admiral James G. Stavridis (born 1955) | 19 October 2006 | 25 June 2009 | 2 years, 249 days | U.S. Navy | |
| 28 | General Douglas M. Fraser (born 1953) | 25 June 2009 | 19 November 2012 | 3 years, 147 days | U.S. Air Force | |
| 29 | General John F. Kelly (born 1950) | 19 November 2012 | 14 January 2016 | 3 years, 56 days | U.S. Marine Corps | |
| 30 | Admiral Kurt W. Tidd (born 1956) | 14 January 2016 | 26 November 2018 | 2 years, 316 days | U.S. Navy | |
| 31 | Admiral Craig S. Faller (born 1961) | 26 November 2018 | 29 October 2021 | 2 years, 337 days | U.S. Navy | |
| 32 | General Laura J. Richardson (born 1963) | 29 October 2021 | 7 November 2024 | 3 years, 9 days | U.S. Army | |
| 33 | Admiral Alvin Holsey (born 1965) | 7 November 2024 | Incumbent | 283 days | U.S. Navy | |
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_Walter_F._Doran%252C_USN_(uncovered).jpg)
Deputy commanders
| No. | Deputy Commander | Term | Service branch | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portrait | Name | Took office | Left office | Term length | ||
| - | Rear Admiral Jerome F. Smith Jr.[10] | August 1990 | ~July 1994 | ~3 years, 334 days | U.S. Navy | |
| - | Rear Admiral Walter T. Worthington[11] | July 1992 | ~July 1994 | ~2 years | U.S. Air Force | |
| - | Rear Admiral James B. Perkins III[12] | July 1994 | ~December 1996 | ~2 years, 153 days | U.S. Navy | |
| - | Rear Admiral Walter Doran[13] (born 1945) | December 1996 | July 1998 | ~1 year, 212 days | U.S. Navy | |
| - | Major General Gary D. Speer | July 2000 | October 2002 | ~2 years, 92 days | U.S. Army | |
| - | Lieutenant General Glenn Spears (born 1956) | June 2006 | July 2009 | ~3 years, 30 days | U.S. Air Force | |
| - | Lieutenant General Ken Keen (born 1952) | 2009 | May 2011 | ~1 year, 319 days | U.S. Army | |
| - | Vice Admiral Joseph D. Kernan (born 1955) | May 2011 | September 2013 | ~2 years, 123 days | U.S. Navy | |
| - | Lieutenant General Kenneth E. Tovo (born 1961) | September 2013 | June 2015 | ~1 year, 273 days | U.S. Army | |
| - | Lieutenant General Joseph P. DiSalvo (born 1965) | June 2015 | August 2018 | ~3 years, 61 days | U.S. Army | |
| - | Lieutenant General Michael T. Plehn (born 1965) | 22 October 2018 | 20 December 2020 | 2 years, 59 days | U.S. Air Force | |
| - | Lieutenant General Andrew A. Croft (born 1965) | 20 December 2020 | 1 February 2023 | 2 years, 43 days | U.S. Air Force | |
| - | Vice Admiral Alvin Holsey (born 1965) | 1 February 2023 | 7 November 2024 | 1 year, 280 days | U.S. Navy | |
| - | Lieutenant General Evan Pettus | 7 November 2024 | Incumbent | 283 days | U.S. Air Force | |
![Jerome F. Smith Jr.[10]](./_assets_/Portrait_gray.png)
![James B. Perkins III[12]](./_assets_/James_Perkins.jpg)
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_Keen.jpg)
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Senior enlisted leaders
| No. | Senior enlisted leader | Term | Service branch | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portrait | Name | Took office | Left office | Term length | ||
| - | Command Sergeant Major Michael M. Balch[14] | 6 December 2004 | ~August 2009 | ~4 years, 252 days | U.S. Army | |
| - | Sergeant Major Louis M. Espinal[15] | 9 October 2009 | ~April 2012 | ~2 years, 189 days | U.S. Marine Corps | |
| - | Command Sergeant Major Eric J. Geressy[16] | April 2012 | August 2014 | ~1 year, 212 days | U.S. Army | |
| - | Command Sergeant Major William B. Zaiser | ~August 2014 | 6 January 2017 | ~2 years, 144 days | U.S. Army | |
| - | Sergeant Major Bryan K. Zickefoose[17] | 6 January 2017 | 17 August 2020 | 3 years, 224 days | U.S. Marine Corps | |
| - | Command Sergeant Major Benjamin Jones | 17 August 2020 | 6 September 2023 | 3 years, 20 days | U.S. Army | |
| - | Sergeant Major Rafael Rodriguez[18] | 6 September 2023 | Incumbent | 1 year, 345 days | U.S. Marine Corps | |
![Michael M. Balch[14]](./_assets_/CSM_Michael_M._Balch.jpg)
![Louis M. Espinal[15]](./_assets_/SgtMaj_Louis_M._Espinal.jpg)
![Eric J. Geressy[16]](./_assets_/CSM_Eric_J._Geressy.jpg)
![Bryan K. Zickefoose[17]](./_assets_/Bryan_K._Zickefoose_(3).jpg)
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![Rafael Rodriguez[18]](./_assets_/SgtMaj_Rafael_Rodriguez_(4).jpg)
Chiefs of staff
| No. | Chief of Staff | Term | Service branch | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portrait | Name | Took office | Left office | Term length | ||
| - | Major General Juan G. Ayala[19] (born 1956) | June 2010 | May 2012 | ~1 year, 335 days | U.S. Marine Corps | |
| - | Major General Joseph P. DiSalvo[20] | May 2012 | June 2013 | ~1 year, 31 days | U.S. Army | |
| - | Major General Mark C. Nowland (born 1958) | June 2013 | December 2014 | ~1 year, 183 days | U.S. Air Force | |
| - | Major General Michael T. Plehn (born 1965) | January 2015 | June 2017 | ~2 years, 151 days | U.S. Air Force | |
| - | Major General Jon A. Norman[21] | June 2017 | July 2018 | ~1 year, 30 days | U.S. Air Force | |
| - | Major General Patricia M. Anslow[22] | July 2018 | June 2020 | ~1 year, 336 days | U.S. Army | |
| - | Rear Admiral Yvette M. Davids[23] (born 1967) | June 2020 | July 2022 | ~2 years, 30 days | U.S. Navy | |
| - | Major General Scott A. Jackson[24] (born 1970) | July 2022 | July 2024 | ~1 year, 352 days | U.S. Army | |
| - | Major General Julie L. Nethercot | July 2024 | Incumbent | ~1 year, 47 days | U.S. Marine Corps | |
![Juan G. Ayala[19]](./_assets_/Juan_G._Ayala.jpg)
![Joseph P. DiSalvo[20]](./_assets_/MG_Joseph_P._DiSalvo.jpg)
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![Jon A. Norman[21]](./_assets_/Maj_Gen_Jon_A._Norman_(2).jpg)
![Patricia M. Anslow[22]](./_assets_/Patricia_M._Anslow.jpg)
![Yvette M. Davids[23]](./_assets_/Yvette_M._Davids_(3).jpg)
![Scott A. Jackson[24]](./_assets_/MG_Scott_A._Jackson_(3).jpg)
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See also
- United States Southern Command
- Leadership of the United States Africa Command
- Leadership of the United States European Command
- Leadership of the United States Indo-Pacific Command
- Leadership of the United States Northern Command
- Leadership of the United States Space Command
- Leadership of the United States Cyber Command
- Leadership of the United States Strategic Command
- Leadership of the United States Transportation Command
References
- ^ "J1 Manpower and Personnel". www.southcom.mil.
- ^ "U.S. Southern Command > About > Leadership > J2 Intelligence". www.southcom.mil.
- ^ "U.S. Southern Command > About > Leadership > J4 Logistics". www.southcom.mil.
- ^ "U.S. Southern Command > About > Leadership > J5 Strategy, Policy, and Plans". www.southcom.mil.
- ^ "U.S. Southern Command > About > Leadership > J6 Communication Systems". www.southcom.mil.
- ^ "U.S. Southern Command > About > Leadership > J7/9 Exercises and Coalition Affairs Directorate". www.southcom.mil.
- ^ "U.S. Southern Command > About > Leadership > J8 Resources & Analysis". www.southcom.mil.
- ^ "Maj. Gen. Javier A. Reina". www.southcom.mil.
- ^ "DOD Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms, January 2021" (PDF). jcs.mil. Archived from the original (PDF) on 18 February 2020. Retrieved 15 May 2021.
- ^ https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/pdfs/ADA245845.pdf
- ^ "MAJOR GENERAL WALTER T. WORTHINGTON". Air Force.
- ^ https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/pdfs/ADA316653.pdf
- ^ https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/pdfs/ADA350989.pdf
- ^ "Command Sergeant Major's Biography - U.S. Southern Command (USSOUTHCOM)". 26 February 2009. Archived from the original on 26 February 2009.
- ^ "Sergeant Major's Biography - U.S. Southern Command (USSOUTHCOM)". Archived from the original on 24 November 2010.
- ^ https://web.archive.org/web/20121031153211/http://www.southcom.mil/aboutus/Pages/Sergeant-Major-Eric-J-Geressy.aspx
- ^ "Sergeant Major Bryan K. Zickefoose". U.S. Department of Defense.
- ^ "Sgt. Major Rafael Rodriguez assumes duties as U.S. Southern Command's Senior Enlisted Lead". U.S. Southern Command.
- ^ "Pages - Chief of Staff, SOUTHCOM". 17 March 2012. Archived from the original on 17 March 2012.
- ^ "Chief of Staff, SOUTHCOM". 8 May 2013. Archived from the original on 8 May 2013.
- ^ "MAJOR GENERAL JON A. NORMAN". Air Force.
- ^ "National Guard Biography". www.nationalguard.mil.
- ^ "Rear Adm. Yvette M. Davids > U.S. Southern Command > Bio Article View". 27 June 2022. Archived from the original on 27 June 2022.
- ^ "Maj. Gen. Scott A. Jackson". U.S. Southern Command.