The Pentagon’s recurrent elevation of special suggests that Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth particularly values discipline and lethality at the department’s senior-most levels.
The Department of Defense has nominated a distinguished Marine special operator to lead the US military’s largest organization in South America.
US Marine Corps Lieutenant General Frank Donovan has been nominated as commander of the US Southern Command (SOUTHCOM), one of the “hottest” combatant commands right now.
A Marine Special Operator in Charge of SOUTHCOM
The Department of Defense formally announced the nomination late last week. Donovan’s nomination to lead SOUTHCOM comes with an appointment to the rank of a four-star general.
As the commander of SOUTHCOM, Donovan will oversee military operations in South America. Although much of the US military’s focus is on the Indo-Pacific and Europe, countering China and Russia, South America is an important region. The area is currently in the news over the White House’s campaign against alleged drug smugglers, as well as tensions with Venezuela.
SOUTHCOM’s previous commander, Navy Admiral Alvin Holsey, retired after 13 months on the job and 37 years in uniform, relinquishing his position on December 12.
According to reports, Holsey and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth clashed over the former’s concerns over lethal US military strikes against alleged narcoterrorist smuggling boats in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific Ocean. The US military has taken out several suspected drug smuggling boats, killing several people in the process.
Donovan is currently the vice commander of the US Special Operations Command (SOCOM). A Force Recon Marine, Donovan has had an illustrious career in special operations and conventional units. Before his tenure at SOCOM, Donovan commanded the 2nd Marine Division for two years. Previously, he was the vice commander of the secretive Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC). Prior to JSOC, the Marine officer spent two years as the Commanding General of Naval Amphibious Forces, Task Force 51 / 5th Marine Expeditionary Brigade – known as Task Force 51/5.
SOUTHCOM’s area of responsibility includes 31 countries that form one-sixth of the world’s landmass. There are five component commands under SOUTHCOM: the Army South, Air Forces Southern, Marine Corps Forces South, Naval Forces Southern Command / 4th Fleet, and Special Operations Command South.
A Special Operations Hiring Trend
This is not the first nomination of a special operator to lead a combatant command, a major command, or an important agency under Hegseth’s tenure.
Indeed, Hegseth, himself an Army Green Beret, seems to prefer special operators for senior positions even if the posts are seemingly outside of their experience.
For example, last week, the Department of Defense nominated Army Lieutenant General Joshua Rudd for the next dual-hatted director and commander of the National Security Agency and US Cyber Command. Rudd is a Delta Force operator who commanded the elite counterterrorism special missions unit.
Officers and enlisted men who have served in a special operations unit undergo grueling assessment and selection processes with additional specialized training. The process creates well-trained and disciplined troops that are encouraged to think creatively under extremely stressful situations. The Pentagon’s recurrent picks of special operators to lead critical leadership positions suggest that Hegseth particularly values these traits.
About the Author: Stavros Atlamazoglou
Stavros Atlamazoglou is a seasoned defense journalist specializing in special operations and a Hellenic Army veteran (national service with the 575th Marine Battalion and Army HQ). He holds a BA from the Johns Hopkins University and an MA from the Johns Hopkins’ School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS). His work has been featured in Business Insider, Sandboxx, and SOFREP.
Image: DVIDS.
