STUTTGART, Germany – U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) held a Change of Command ceremony Thursday at Kelley Barracks in Stuttgart, where Marine Corps Gen. Michael E. Langley formally handed over leadership to Air Force Gen. Dagvin R.M. Anderson.
Navy Adm. Christopher Grady, Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, presided over the event, praising AFRICOM’s role in promoting U.S. security interests and reinforcing defense partnerships across the African continent.
“The region covered by U.S. AFRICOM has a rapidly growing economy and a young population that offers a democratic dividend,” Grady said. “Militarily, the theater is a nexus where global competitors test our resolve, where violent extremist organizations seek sanctuary, and where instability ripples far beyond the continent.”
Grady emphasized the continued importance of U.S. engagement in strategic regions such as the Horn of Africa, West Africa, and the Sahel, calling collaboration with African partners vital to enhancing regional security.
Gen. Anderson becomes the sixth commander of AFRICOM, succeeding Langley, who held the post since 2022.
