US Southern Command Admiral overseeing Caribbean forces to retire

Admiral Alvin Holsey, who commands U.S. military forces in Latin America, will retire Dec. 12, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced on social media Thursday.

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Holsey’s departure comes less than a year after he took over as head of U.S. Southern Command, which oversees operations in Central and South America and the Caribbean. The posting typically lasts three years.

“Effective 12 December 2025 I will retire from the U.S. Navy,” Holsey said in a statement posted on Southern Command’s X account. “It’s been an honor to serve our nation, the American people and support and defend the Constitution for over 37 years.” He did not provide an explanation for the early departure but praised Southern Command personnel for their “lasting contributions to the defense of our nation.”

Southern Command said this week that Holsey visited the Caribbean nations of Antigua, Barbuda, and Grenada on Tuesday and Wednesday.

The announcemnt comes amid Washington’s deployment of significant forces to the region — including stealth warplanes and seven Navy ships — as part of counter-narcotics efforts. U.S. forces have carried out strikes against at least five alleged drug-smuggling vessels in the Caribbean, resulting in 27 deaths. Trinidad authorities confirmed Thursday that two citizens were killed in the latest strike earlier this week.