Commander of U.S. Southern Command Gen. Laura Richardson speaks during a Change of Command and activation ceremony for Air Forces Southern at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona, Sep. 11, 2024. At the direction of the Secretary of the Air Force, Air Forces Southern was elevated to a Service Component Command. The Air Force is organizing its major commands, or MAJCOMs, into Institutional Commands, responsible for organizing, training, and equipping Airmen, and Service Component Commands, responsible for preparing Airmen for warfighting in a combatant command’s area of responsibility. The changes are part of the Department of the Air Force’s Great Power Competition initiative. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Rachel Maxwell)