GEN. J.T. HILL IN COMMAND OF MILITARY'S WAR ON DRUGS

MIAMI - Gen. James T. Hill took over Tuesday as head of the U.S. Southern
Command, leading the military fight against drug lords and terrorists in
Latin America and the Caribbean.

The Vietnam and Desert Storm veteran "really is the perfect choice to lead
the U.S. Southern Command," said Gen. Richard B. Myers of the Joint Chiefs
of Staff.

Hill, 56, also has served in the Pentagon and with a United Nations mission
in Haiti. He left a post as commander of the Army's I Corps at Fort Lewis,
Wash., to lead the Miami-based Southern Command.

He succeeds Army Maj. Gen. Gary D. Speer, who had been acting commander.
Speer has been appointed Army deputy chief of staff for operations in Europe.

Southern Command oversees U.S. military activities in 32 nations and 12
dependencies, from Guantanamo Bay Naval Base in Cuba to Plan Colombia, the
$1.7 billion aid project to strengthen Colombia's military and counterdrug
efforts.

SouthCom has about 5,000 troops in Latin America and the Caribbean.