SOUTHCOM Commander's Imperatives

A military aircraft flies above a naval warship at sea.

A U.S. Marine Corps MV-22 Osprey with Marine Medium Tiltrotor (VMM) 263 (Reinforced), 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable) flies above the U.S. Navy Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Iwo Jima (LHD 7) during a quick reaction force rehearsal, while underway in the Caribbean Sea, Jan. 30, 2026.  (U.S. Marine Corps photo)

 

SOUTHCOM Commander Gen. Francis L. Donovan has developed four imperatives to posture the U.S. military to confront the threats facing the Western Hemisphere.

 

1. Strengthen hemispheric command and control. 

2. Impose total systemic friction on drug cartels and terrorist organizations. 

3. Develop and field cost-effective, modernized forces tailored for the mission. 

4. Deny adversary footholds and undue influence in the Western Hemisphere. 

 

Key SOUTHCOM missions and initiatives:

Countering Narcoterrorism and Cartels

Denying Malign Influence and Securing the Hemisphere 

Innovating for Today’s Challenges 

Strengthening Defense and Security Partnerships in the Western Hemisphere

Advancing Space and Cyber Defense in the Western Hemisphere

SOUTHCOM logo2026 Posture Statement to Congress (PDF)

Marine Gen. Francis L. Donovan, commander of U.S. Southern Command, testified before the House Armed Services Committee March 17, 2026, as part of the command’s annual Posture Statement to Congress.

2026 Posture Statement info page with video, articles and documents