A Florida native, Stavridis arrives at SouthCom from the Department of Defense, where he served as Senior Military Assistant to Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld -- Craddock’s successor in that position.

Stavridis formerly commanded the Enterprise Carrier Strike Group in support of operations Enduring Freedom (War in Afghanistan) and Iraqi Freedom, as well as Destroyer Squadron 21 and the guided missile destroyer USS Barry, where he completed deployments to Haiti, Bosnia and the Persian Gulf as part of Operation Vigilant Warrior.

A 1976 distinguished graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy and 1992 distinguished graduate of the National War College, Stavridis earned a doctorate in philosophy in international relations from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University in 1984.

His awards and decorations include the Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Meritorious Service Medal and the Navy League’s John Paul Jones Award for Inspirational Leadership.

Craddock replaces Marine General James Jones who has been at NATO since January 2003 and

Craddock is the fifth commander of this regional unified command to head up NATO. Preceding him on the now well- traveled SouthCom to NATO route were Army 4-star Generals Wesley Clark in July 1997, George Joulwan in November 1993, John Galvin in June 1987 – all SouthCom commanders in chief in Panama – and Army Lieutenant General Matthew B. Ridgway who commanded the U.S. Caribbean Command (SouthCom’s predecessor command in Panama) 1948-1949, then was Supreme Allied Commander Far East 1951-52 succeeding General Douglas MacArthur, before he was named Supreme Allied Commander Europe/NATO 1952-1953.