General Kurt L. Sonntag Selected To Lead SOCSOUTH

  Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines, and civilians assigned to U.S. Special Operations Command South (SOCSOUTH) welcomed U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Kurt L. Sonntag as the 14th commander of SOCSOUTH, based at Homestead, Fla., during an assumption of command ceremony, September 16.

  Marine Gen. John F. Kelly, the combatant commander of U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM), presided over the ceremony.

    In his remarks, Gen. Kelly welcomed Sonntag and his family to the command and the South Florida area.

  He also talked about SOCSOUTH’s accomplishments in support of USSOUTHCOM such as building partner nation capacity in order to improve security from transnational organized crime throughout the Western Hemisphere, as well as ongoing partnerships with nations from the Caribbean, Central and South America.

  During his first remarks as the commander of SOCOSOUTH, Sonntag talked about the great legacy of SOCSOUTH and working alongside the service members of the command.

  “The privilege of leading our nation’s finest is something I do not nor will ever take lightly,” he said. “I am ready to roll up my sleeves and get to work alongside of everyone here.” 

  Sonntag arrives at SOCSOUTH after serving as the deputy commander of the U.S. Army Special Operations Command based in Fort Bragg, N.C. 

  He is a graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, and has served in various leadership positions in his 28-year military career including deployments in support of combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.

  Sonntag is married and he has two children.

  United States Special Operations Command South is a subordinate component for special operations under the U.S. Special Operations Command, which is headquartered at MacDill Air Force Base, Fla.

  SOCSOUTH’s mission is to plan, prepare and when directed conduct special operations in support of U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM).