U.S. Army Forces Command welcomes new Commanding General

FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. (WTVD) -- The U.S. Army Forces Command has a new commanding general.

General Andrew Poppas took over command from General Michael Garrett on Friday morning.

Garrett served 38 years in the Army and retired with honors. He was awarded and congratulated Friday by President Joe Biden and Governor Roy Cooper.

Poppas has a decorated background with 34 years of military experience, including multiple deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan.

He said he's eager to use his experience to continue the tradition of high standards upon returning to Fort Bragg.

"Every time you come back to Fort Bragg, here's where I learned my profession as a young captain, where I learned from the noncommissioned soldiers the officers, what it means to train hard and have a warrior's ethos; what it means to be a coordinating team and every subsequent step," Pappas said.

Poppas graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point and was commissioned in 1988.