Doral, Florida — The admiral overseeing U.S. military forces in South America relinquished command Friday as the U.S. continues to mass ships and other military assets near Venezuela and conduct strikes against alleged drug boats.
“We have worked hard and tirelessly to build relationships and understand requirements across the region,” Adm. Alvin Holsey said at a relinquishment of command ceremony at U.S. Southern Command headquarters. “That work must continue across the whole government to deliver at the point of need to respond to shared threats in our neighborhood — the time is now.”
Holsey, a 37-year Navy veteran, stepped down as head of U.S. Southern Command after announcing in October that he would retire early, one year into what is typically a three-year combatant command tour. He gave no reason then; CBS News previously reported tensions between Holsey and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth over Caribbean deployment decisions.
At Friday’s ceremony, Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine presented Holsey the Defense Distinguished Service Medal with a citation signed by Secretary Hegseth. Caine thanked Holsey and his family, saying the nation and joint force were deeply grateful for his service.
Holsey transferred duties to Air Force Lt. Gen. Evan Lamar Pettus, who will serve as acting commander until the Pentagon nominates and the Senate confirms a permanent successor.
U.S. Southern Command has led “Operation Southern Spear,” a campaign that the U.S. says has destroyed 23 alleged drug boats with military strikes, resulting in 87 deaths. The campaign has drawn congressional scrutiny, especially after a controversial “double tap” strike on Sept. 2 that killed two survivors. Admiral Mitch Bradley of U.S. Special Operations Command, who ordered the second strike, has briefed small groups of lawmakers in recent weeks and met with House Speaker Mike Johnson, who after reviewing strike video called the operation “entirely appropriate.”
Holsey provided a virtual briefing earlier this week to the chair and ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Committee before officially transferring command. Ranking Member Sen. Jack Reed of Rhode Island told CBS News Holsey said his retirement was a personal decision, and Reed added that lawmakers still have many unanswered questions.
Congressional concern extends beyond the strikes to the expanding U.S. military presence in the region. The Pentagon now has about 15,000 personnel in the Caribbean—across warships, including the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford, and bases in Puerto Rico—the largest U.S. presence there in decades. The buildup appears tied to the Trump administration’s pressure campaign against Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. This week, with military support, the U.S. Coast Guard seized a sanctioned oil tanker off Venezuela’s coast, and President Trump has suggested strikes inside Venezuela could follow.
Holsey took command of U.S. Southern Command in November 2024. Under his leadership, the command grew from roughly 3,500 personnel to nearly 15,000 in direct support of regional operations, according to a SOUTHCOM release honoring his career. In the last fiscal year, which ended in September, the command disrupted or seized more than one million pounds of cocaine, with an estimated street value exceeding $11.34 billion; that release did not specifically mention Operation Southern Spear.
Holsey is among more than a dozen senior military officers who have either been fired by Secretary Hegseth or retired early since the start of the Trump administration.
Alan He contributed to this report.