Army consolidates three commands to prioritize defense of the homeland

On Friday, the United States Army inaugurated a new command designed to oversee its operations across the Western Hemisphere, signaling a heightened emphasis on defending the homeland. The newly established Army Western Hemisphere Command consolidates US Army Forces Command, US Army North, and US Army South under a single structure based at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.

This unified command will coordinate missions including border security, disaster response, and Army support for federal law enforcement nationwide. Gen. Joseph Ryan, who leads the new command, emphasized during the activation ceremony that adversaries increasingly target vulnerabilities across North, Central, and South America. We have allowed these threats to persist and have not countered them effectively, he stated.

Earlier this year, Army leadership announced the merger following directives from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, highlighting the need to prioritize homeland defense and counter strategic challenges posed by China. The activation ceremony coincided with the release of the White Houses updated National Security Strategy, which calls for an adjusted US military presence in the Western Hemisphere. The strategy advocates targeted deployments along the border to combat cartels, including using force when necessary, replacing decades of reliance solely on law enforcement.

US military involvement in border operations intensified this year when additional troops were deployed to establish national defense areas, allowing temporary detention of migrants before transfer to local authorities. National Guard units have also been assigned to support federal law enforcement and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) personnel.

According to Col. Mike Burns, spokesperson for the new command, the full consolidation at Fort Bragg is expected by June 2026, at which point Army North and Army South will be deactivated. Burns highlighted that the reorganization streamlines command, reduces administrative overhead, eliminates redundancy, and places more soldiers in operational units directly contributing to readiness. This structure is designed around threat assessment, strategic priorities, and treating the homeland as a central theater, he noted.

Currently, Army North and Army South are headquartered at Joint Base San Antonio-Sam Houston, Texas. Most personnel will relocate to Fort Bragg over the next two years, while some staff will remain in San Antonio for specific roles, including at Brooke Army Medical Center.

Author: Zoe Harrison