470th Military Intelligence Brigade welcomes new commander

By Rochelle M. Naus, U.S. Army South Public AffairsAugust 27, 2021

Maj. Gen. William L. Thigpen (left), U.S. Army South commanding general, passes the 470th Military Intelligence Brigade colors to Col. Jorge A. Arredondo during an assumption of command ceremony Aug. 27 at the U.S. Army Medical Department Museum, Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston, Texas. (U.S. Army photo by Rochelle M. Naus, U.S. Army South Public Affairs)
Maj. Gen. William L. Thigpen (left), U.S. Army South commanding general, passes the 470th Military Intelligence Brigade colors to Col. Jorge A. Arredondo during an assumption of command ceremony Aug. 27 at the U.S. Army Medical Department Museum, Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston, Texas. (U.S. Army photo by Rochelle M. Naus, U.S. Army South Public Affairs) (Photo Credit: Rochelle Naus) VIEW ORIGINAL

JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-Fort Sam Houston, Texas - Col. Jorge A. Arredondo assumed command of the 470th Military Intelligence Brigade during a ceremony Aug. 27 at the U.S. Army Medical Department Museum, Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston, Texas.

Maj. Gen. William L. Thigpen, the commander of U.S. Army South, hosted the ceremony where he welcomed Arredondo and his family to Fort Sam Houston and spoke of Arredondo’s many accomplishments during his U.S. Army career.

“I can assure the brigade, that you’re in safe hands. Col. Arredondo brings vast military expertise and leadership to the unit,” said Thigpen. “Jorge is no stranger to the U.S. Southern Command area of responsibility. Previously, he was assigned here when U.S. Army South was in Puerto Rico where he served as an intelligence officer.”

Arredondo most recently served as the U.S. Special Operations Command director of intelligence in Homestead, Fla. Throughout his career, he has deployed to more than 20 countries in the Northern Command, Central Command and Southern Command areas of responsibility.

Arredondo holds two Bachelors in Medical Sociology and Linguistics from New Mexico State University and duel Masters’ Degrees in International Relations from Troy University and Strategic Studies from U.S. Army War College. He is a graduate of the Infantry Officer Base and Military Intelligence Advanced Courses, Counter-Intelligence Special Agent Course and the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation at Fort Benning, Ga.

The 470th Military Intelligence Brigade's mission is to provide multi-disciplined intelligence support to U.S. Army South and U.S. Southern Command. The brigade also supports intelligence operations in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility. Additionally, Force Protection Detachments within the brigade provide counterintelligence support and force protection for counterintelligence missions throughout the U.S. Southern Command area of responsibility.