Forces Command commander visits NATO unit in Greece

THESSALONIKI, Greece – The commanding general of U.S. Army Forces Command visited the NATO Rapid Deployable Corps-Greece headquarters here May 8.

Gen. Andrew Poppas has commanded FORSCOM at Fort Bragg, N.C., since 2022, and served as a foreign area officer in Greece earlier in his career.

“The U.S. team at NRDC-Greece had the honor of hosting the FORSCOM commander during his official visit to Northern Greece,” said U.S. Army Capt. Alfonso Rivera, a plans officer with the NRDC-Greece Operations Division. “His presence was an intentional and timely signal of commitment to forward-deployed readiness and strategic partnerships in a rapidly evolving region.”

In addition to his meeting with the U.S. Soldiers at NRDC-Greece, Poppas had an engagement at the Hellenic Army War College, received a mission brief from the NRDC-Greece staff and had an office call with the commanding general of NRDC-Greece, Greek Army Lt. Gen. General Athanasios Garinis.

Much of the focus of Poppas’ visit was on reinforcing the importance of interoperability, regional security, and the NRDC-Greece’s expanding role in NATO’s southern flank, according to Rivera, but the highlight for the U.S. Soldiers stationed in Greece was the chance to interact with Poppas who is one of the most senior officers in the Army.

“In a focused 15-to-20-minute roundtable, every U.S. service member had the opportunity to speak directly with the commander,” said Rivera. “Conversations were candid and centered around real issues such as deployability, quality of life, training, and the sustainment challenges of operating from this forward location.”

“The commander’s message was clear,” said Rivera. “Our service members must be ready to deploy at a moment’s notice, regardless of location.”

The visit concluded with a dinner between senior commanders where the theme of the evening centered on Poppas’ “Four Wins” principles: Win trust and empower leaders; Win the first fight; Win the future fight; and Win as a balanced Army.

Poppas commands the U.S. Army’s largest organization with 212,000 active-duty Soldiers and 174,000 members of the Army Reserve, while also providing training and readiness oversight to the Army National Guard. In total, the Forces Command team includes more than 710,000 soldiers and 13,000 civilians.

FORSCOM is also currently planning to merge with U.S. Army North and U.S. Army South to form Western Hemisphere Command as part of the Department of Defense efforts to create a leaner, more lethal force.