Eighth Army held a ceremony April 16 at their headquarters on U.S. Army Garrison Humphreys, South Korea, where Lt. Gen. Christopher LaNeve relinquished command of Eighth Army.
LaNeve has served as Eighth Army commanding general and Combined Forces Command chief of staff since last April.
On March 25, U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth announced that President Donald Trump nominated LaNeve for appointment to senior military assistant to the secretary of defense, Office of the Secretary of Defense, in Washington, D.C.
LaNeve’s appointment requires him to leave after serving a shorter term than former Eighth Army commanding generals.
In the past year, LaNeve led Eighth Army’s “Fight Tonight” mission, which focuses on readiness with its Republic of Korea military allies, Soldiers, and family members.
Supporting the U.S. Army initiative focused on rapidly modernizing and adapting to the evolving battlefield, LaNeve oversaw the successful arrival and integration of two rotational combat brigades and led the transformation efforts of the Digital Common Operational Picture, Integrated Battle Command System, Indirect Fire Protection Capability, Multiple Launch Rocket System and holistic physical fitness program. Additionally, he spearheaded the effort to improve Soldiers’ and family members’ access to local healthcare while driving several facility upgrades to improve the quality of life for service members and their families in Korea. LaNeve also worked tirelessly to decrease manning shortages in critical occupational specialties throughout the Eighth Army footprint.
Eighth Army is home of the U.S. Army’s only combined division, the 2nd Infantry Division/ROK-U.S. Combined Division, a major subordinate command to Eighth Army. During LaNeve’s tenure, the 17th Infantry Division, Republic of Korea Army (ROKA), became the primary training audience during a U.S. Army Warfighter exercise and demonstrated the combined ROKA-U.S. Army division’s ability to conduct a simulated exercise, testing and evaluating the command-and-control capabilities of the combined army division in a realistic, large-scale combat operation.
“It is not just a military friendship, it is a bond between our two countries that has been earned in blood and sacrifice,” said LaNeve said. “This alliance is our legacy.”
As the senior military assistant to the secretary of defense, LaNeve will serve as the principal military point of contact for the secretary and is the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff’s representative with the Office of the Secretary of Defense. In this capacity, he will interface with the Joint Staff, combatant commands and with agencies outside of the Defense Department for policy matters and related subjects.
Brigadier Gen. Sean Crockett will be Eighth Army’s acting commander after serving as deputy commanding general – operations.
Eighth Army is the lead ground component for U.S. Forces Korea overseeing most U.S. Army forces on the Korean peninsula. The command consists of six major subordinate commands and several direct reporting units. Eighth Army also facilitates U.S. Army rotational units that come to the peninsula for scheduled deployments.
On duty in the Asia-Pacific since 1944, Eighth Army's enduring presence has long signaled U.S. resolve to support U.S. regional allies and deterrence to potential adversaries.
For more information, contact the Eighth Army Public Affairs office at usarmy.humphreys.8-army.mbx.public-affairs-office@army.mil.
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