Gen. Christopher Donahue receives the U.S. Army Europe and Africa unit colors from Gen. Christopher Cavoli, during a change of command ceremony Dec. 10, 2024, in Wiesbaden, Germany. Donahue replaces Gen. Darryl Williams as commander of U.S. Army Europe and Africa. (Bradley Latham/Stars and Stripes)
Gen. Christopher Donahue, whose military career has been marked by long stints as a special operator, took charge Tuesday of the U.S. Army’s mission in Europe during a change of command ceremony in Wiesbaden, Germany.
U.S. European Command’s Gen. Christopher Cavoli oversaw the ceremony at Clay Kaserne along with U.S. Africa Command’s Gen. Michael Langley and said Donahue is the right person to carry the mission forward.
He is “without a doubt, the most experienced war fighter we have in the U.S. Army, more than 20 deployments covering literally every single named operation, combat or otherwise, that we have been busy (with) in the last 30 years,” Cavoli said. “It’s almost like a comic book action hero.”
An artillery round fired by Ukrainian forces is presented to Gen. Darryl Williams at a change of command ceremony on Dec. 10, 2024, in Wiesbaden, Germany. As leader of U.S. Army Europe and Africa, Williams was a driving force in the NATO effort to supply weaponry to Ukraine. (Bradley Latham/Stars and Stripes)
Gen. Christopher Cavoli, leader of U.S. European Command, and Gen. Michael Langley, head of U.S. Africa Command, salute during the national anthem at a change of command ceremony Dec. 10, 2024, in Wiesbaden, Germany. Gen. Christopher Donahue replaced Gen. Darryl Williams as the top Army commander in Europe. (Bradley Latham/Stars and Stripes)
Replacing Gen. Darryl Williams as head of U.S. Army Europe and Africa, Donahue arrives at his new headquarters at a time of upheaval on the Continent.
He brings extensive combat experience to the job, having served as an Army Ranger and a member of the elite Delta Force.
“We have to act like a conflict is going to occur in the next hour,” he said during a speech to troops at the ceremony. “We must be relentless.”
Donahue said the “litmus test” soldiers will face during his tenure will be preparing the command for battle as if their own relatives were being sent to fight in Europe.
“And if you cannot answer that question (in the affirmative), need to rethink what we’re doing and how we’re doing it,” said Donahue, who previously led the 18th Airborne Corps at Fort Liberty, N.C.
U.S. European Command chief Gen. Christopher Cavoli speaks at the change of command ceremony for U.S. Army Europe and Africa on Dec. 10, 2024, in Wiesbaden, Germany. (Bradley Latham/Stars and Stripes)
Gen. Christopher Donahue speaks for the first time as the U.S. Army Europe and Africa commander Dec. 10, 2024, in Wiesbaden, Germany. Donahue replaces Gen. Darryl Williams. (Bradley Latham/Stars and Stripes)
Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 has upended past security assumptions across NATO, which has sought to bolster its defense and update war plans to account for a more aggressive Russia.
Recent events in Syria add to the complications, given alliance member Turkey’s position on the border of the country, which saw Kremlin-backed strongman Bashar Assad’s regime toppled by Islamic rebels over the weekend.
Meanwhile, the growing influence of Russia and China in Africa poses an added challenge for Donahue, who oversees Army efforts across that continent.
Williams is retiring after 40 years in the Army. He was integral to allied efforts to support Ukraine in the early stages of the ongoing war, Cavoli said during Tuesday’s ceremony.
“General Williams’ support for the Ukrainians has become widely known, not just inside our Department of Defense,” Cavoli said. “And the value of what you’ve done can be read on the faces of our Ukrainian colleagues whenever we meet them.”
A key part of Donahue’s job will be managing the Army’s leading role in providing military support for Ukraine. NATO allies will be watching to see what approach President-elect Donald Trump takes on sustaining American supply of the Ukrainian war effort.
Besides the training of Ukrainian ground forces at its installations in Germany, Donahue’s Wiesbaden headquarters also is the hub for an international drive focused on coordinating military assistance for Kyiv.
His ascent to the top Army post in Europe was briefly cast in doubt when Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla. put a hold on his nomination shortly after it was announced in November.
Donahue, who was famously pictured in a grainy nighttime photo as the last U.S. service member out of Afghanistan in 2021, found himself stuck in the middle of a lingering political fight over President Joe Biden’s disastrous withdrawal from the country.
At the time, Donahue commanded the 82nd Airborne and was brought in during the final phase of the withdrawal to provide added security as the situation in the capital Kabul deteriorated.
But Mullin lifted his hold earlier this month, paving the way for Donahue to receive his fourth star. His nomination had received a groundswell of support in military circles.
Donahue was part of an 82nd Airborne contingent that arrived in Poland shortly before the Feb. 24, 2022, start of the Russia-Ukraine war.
His team was among the first to arrive in Europe in connection with a Pentagon push to bolster NATO’s eastern flank amid concerns about potential Russian aggression.
