Pentagon Liaison to Kerry Appointed to Lead Southern Command

US Navy Admiral Kurt Tidd, military liaison to Secretary of State John Kerry, will take over as commander of US Southern Command (SOUTHCOM), Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Joseph Dunford announced on Thursday.

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — Tidd replaces outgoing SOUTHCOM commander General John Kelly, Dunford added before Kelly delivered a farewell speech.

"Admiral Tidd comes from… the Joint Staff, where he was our primary representative to the Secretary of State," Dunford said during a ceremony in Miami, Florida. "[Tidd] was the obvious choice to command the United States Southern Command."

Kelly said that members of the US joint task force stationed at the Guantanamo Bay, Cuba military base should be proud of their efforts despite the prevailing argument about whether to close the controversial detention center there.

Earlier in the ceremony, US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter said that the United States plans to continue transferring Guantanamo detainees to foreign countries after handing over ten Yemeni prisoners to the government of Oman on Wednesday.