When four-star Army Gen. Laura Richardson became the first woman to lead the U.S. Southern Command three years ago, she inherited all of the concerns of her most recent predecessors about the region’s security and the increasing threats to the United States.
There was China and its massive campaign of influence through its Belt and Road infrastructure initiative in nearly two dozen countries in Latin America and the Caribbean. There was the expanding economic, diplomatic and military presence in Cuba, Nicaragua and Venezuela of Russia and Iran. And of course the pressing security challenges posed by transnational terrorism, natural disasters fueled by climate change and irregular migration over land and sea.
But Richardson also faced some unique challenges that tested her leadership and the resolve of Southcom, one the six geographic combatant commands in the U.S. Defense Department. Among them: the region’s emergence from the COVID-19 pandemic; the rising tensions between Guyana and Venezuela over a century-old border dispute; Russian warships in Cuban waters and the exploding gang crisis in Haiti.
At every turn “Richardson led the charge,” U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III said Thursday.
During Richardson’s tenure, Southcom re-engaged with nations in the region, showing the U.S. commitment to security and assisting democracies, and conducted 24 joint exercises. “U.S. forces trained alongside nearly 40,000 participants from some 36 countries. Those exercises,” Austin said, “fostered trust, and they forged stronger partnerships across the region.”
On Thursday, Austin was among several Biden administration officials as well as hemispheric ambassadors and defense ministers who packed the gymnasium at the U.S. Southern Command in Doral to bid Richardson farewell as she stepped down as commander and passed the baton to Navy Adm. Alvin Holsey. Richardson, first woman in the top post, became part of another history-making moment on Thursday: Holsey, who was nominated by President Joe Biden and confirmed in September, is the first African American to lead the command in its 60-plus-year history.
And like Richardson, an army helicopter pilot who earned her aviation license at the age of 16, Holsey is also a helicopter pilot.
Gen. Charles Q. Brown Jr., chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, saluted both commanders while noting that Richardson’s career has been one “full of firsts.”
“Laura was the first woman in the Army to serve as division deputy commander. She was the first woman to lead U.S. Army Forces command, the Army’s largest command, and the first coming here to lead U.S. Southern Command,” he said. “Over four decades, she has led every level with exceptional operational skills.”
In her role at Southcom, Brown said, Richardson “deepened key relationships throughout the Caribbean, Central and South America, to strengthen regional security, counter threats and build capacity to enhance mitigation, shared intelligence and joint military activities.”
During the ceremony, Holsey received the colors from Austin as a symbolic gesture to signify the passing of command from Richardson.
Some 900 people were invited to Thursday’s ceremony, which culminated a week of activities including Holsey’s promotion to admiral ahead of his taking the helm. Guests included chiefs of police, community leaders, U.S. and foreign ambassadors and newly re-elected Florida Republican lawmakers Mario Díaz-Balart, Maria Elvira Salazar and Carlos Giménez.
The State Department was represented by Mark Wells, principal deputy assistant secretary of state for the Western Hemisphere and Assistant Secretary of State Todd Robinson, who oversees the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement. The event also marked Richardson’s retirement after 38 years in the military.
Richardson’s career has included deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan and stints as military aide to the vice president at the White house, chief of the Army legislative liaison to Congress and U.S. Army campaign planner at the Pentagon.
In honor of her service, she was given an American flag that was flown over the U.S. Capitol and the Pentagon. Joining her as she received the retirement flag were her husband, retired Army Lt. Gen. James M. Richardson, and their daughter Lauren Richardson.
In saluting her leadership over nearly four decades, both Brown and Austin singled out Richardson and Southcom’s work in the region. This included strengthening the Colombian military and Panama’s border forces engaged in the fight to curb illegal migration through the Darien gap.
“Over the course of my 38 years in the military, I’ve received a lot of coaching and mentoring by so many. As we all know in our line of work, people are the greatest asset in the military, and I’ve been honored to lead, and have been led by some of the most amazing leaders,” Richardson said.
“The challenges we collectively face are too great to take on alone. Our strength and success rests upon all of us working together as team democracy,” she said. “The security, stability and prosperity remains a collective responsibility of all of us.”
Austin highlighted the outsized role Richardson and Holsey, who had served as military deputy commander at Southcom since February 2023, played earlier this year in coordinating critical logistics into Haiti. Together, they helped evacuate U.S. diplomats under gunfire, set up a military base for the Kenya-led multinational security support force and assisted in the reopening of the international airport in Port-au-Prince, which allowed for the safe arrival of the Kenyan troops.
“Haiti is struggling to restore security, to end widespread gang violence and hold free and fair elections,” Austin said. “We’ll continue to support Haitian security forces as they re-establish safety and stability for the Haitian people.”
In his acceptance speech Holsey dedicated himself to continuing to strengthen the region’s partnerships.
Austin said Holsey, a Georgia native and Morehouse College graduate, is “a stellar leader” who is “well prepared to accept the roles and responsibilities” required at Southcom’s helm. “He’s demonstrated operational excellence worldwide, deploying multiple times on nine shifts and commanding carrier strike and deployment.”
“He leads with compassion and empathy,” Austin said.
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