FORT BRAGG, N.C. — In a ceremony that honored decades of homeland defense while looking toward a hemispheric future, United States Army North cased its colors July 15, at Fort Sam Houston, Texas, marking the historic inactivation of a command that has guarded the nation for more than 80 years.
Army North, also known as Fifth Army, is the third headquarters to transition into U.S. Army Western Hemisphere Command, commonly referred to as USAWHC, the Army’s newest four-star theater Army.
"Today’s casing of the U.S. Army North colors and the ceremonial transfer of our critical mission to the U.S. Army Western Hemisphere Command continues the Army’s Transformation priorities," said Lt. Gen. Allan M. Pepin, the final commanding general of ARNORTH. "This inactivation is not an end to the legacy of this unit, nor does it diminish the incredible missions this command has accomplished."
Securing the United States and North America has always been a whole-of-government and whole-of-hemisphere effort, and that story begins far from Texas in the sands of North Africa in 1943. As Fifth Army, it was the first American field Army to fight in World War II, building a legacy of tenacity and multinational cooperation with Soldiers from across the globe fighting under its banner.
After the war, that mission returned home, first to Chicago, then to Fort Sam Houston, where Fifth Army became a vital part of the nation’s interior defense. In 2006, Fifth Army transformed into United States Army North, centralizing homeland defense, civil support and theater security cooperation in North America.
Defending the homeland
For the past two decades, Army North has carried out its duty with steadfast professionalism. Serving as both the Army Service Component Command and the Joint Force Land Component Command for U.S. Northern Command, ARNORTH has stood at the forefront of the nation's defense. Whether actively deterring threats through multi-domain operations, leading complex federal responses to domestic crises, or strengthening alliances through theater security cooperation, ARNORTH consistently answered the call to protect the homeland and secure U.S. interests.
When directed in June 2025, Army North rapidly mobilized forces to support the Department of Homeland Security in protecting critical federal functions, personnel and property across multiple cities. Staging out of Fort Bliss, Texas, the mission expanded from Los Angeles to Chicago and Portland, eventually involving more than 5,000 mobilized military personnel.
“Whether responding to natural disasters, domestic emergencies, or adapting to emerging asymmetric threats, this command never faltered,” said Pepin, reflecting on the command's operational tempo. “When lead federal agencies dialed ‘9-1-1,’ Army North answered the call.”
During the ceremony, Gen. Joseph Ryan, USAWHC commander, emphasized the legacy and impact ARNORTH has had on our nation’s defense. Ryan assured those in attendance that the critical missions of the legacy command remain intact, both now and in the future of our hemispheric defense.
“We will preserve Army North’s most operationally relevant work, welcome its teammates as our own, and march forward into an increasingly complex and connected hemisphere.”
As Ryan concluded his remarks, he linked the creation of USAWHC in the deep legacy of national defense.
“Defense of the homeland and Western Hemisphere is America’s highest security priority. The Army’s transformation here reflects our commitment and resolve. We are backing up our words with deeds, structure, resources, capabilities, leaders and Soldiers in the right places.
"The mission has always dictated where we go and how we serve. Today is no different."
An unbroken lineage of service
To the Soldiers, civilians and families who have served under the colors of Fifth Army and U.S. Army North, Gen. Gregory Guillot, commanding general of United States Northern Command and North American Aerospace Defense Command offered a final message.
“You are part of an unbroken lineage of service and sacrifice that stretches from the beaches of Salerno to the banks of the Rio Grande,” he said. “Your duty was critical, your execution admirable and your legacy secure.”
As the colors of Army North were cased, the chapter for that headquarters closed, but its legacy now lives on inside USAWHC, providing the foundation for a stronger, more integrated defense of the Western Hemisphere.This transition represents far more than a structural realignment; it’s a vital evolution in how the Army projects power and defends the homeland.
USAWHC’s establishment is a cornerstone of the broader Army Transformation Initiative, designed to modernize command structures, improve operational agility and meet the demands of a rapidly changing global security environment.
“To case a unit’s colors is to close a chapter of history,” said Guillot “But as we fold this flag today, we honor the command’s legacy and begin a new chapter in the defense of our hemisphere.”
Social Sharing