Army Lt. Gen. Kevin Admiral is the Pentagon’s pick to replace Gen. Christopher Donahue as the top Army officer for Europe and Africa, officials said in statement Thursday.
Donahue, who drew national attention as the “last soldier out of Afghanistan” in 2021, informed the Army he was stepping down as the head of Army Europe and Africa last month. Admiral currently serves as the head of the III Armored Corps and Fort Hood in Texas.
Admiral was nominated Thursday by President Donald Trump for the position, the Pentagon said in a release. He must still be confirmed by the Senate. If confirmed, Admiral will also serve as the head of NATO’s Allied Land Command.
Donahoe had led the command since late 2024. Donahue was the latest of several top officers who were fired or suddenly announced their retirement over the last year.
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Admiral commissioned in 1994 and has led III Corps since 2024. He previously served as the commander of 1st Cavalry Division and Director director, Force Management, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff, G-3/5/7, U.S. Army. He has deployed to Iraq, Afghanistan and Europe, and his decorations include the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star and Purple Heart.
If confirmed, Admiral will take over U.S. Army Europe and Africa after several months of turmoil in Europe. Tensions with NATO members escalated earlier this year over military threats from the United States over Greenland, with nations deploying troops to the island that were prepared to take out its infrastructure. This spring, the Pentagon canceled troop deployments as the president threatened to cut the size of the U.S.’s military presence in Europe. The command has been active in both bolstering NATO’s eastern flank and training with allies in integrating drones into tactics.
At least one Army Europe and Africa command has suffered combat casualties while deployed in the Iran war. Isabella Gonzales, 19, of Carrollton, Texas, and Sgt. Angel Rampersad, 28, of Ozone Park, New York were killed by an Iranian rocket attack on July 17, at Muwaffaq Salti Air Base, Jordan. Both soldiers were deployed with the 57th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, an Ansbach, Germany-based unit under Army Europe and Africa.
Admiral’s nomination also reappoints him as a lieutenant general. The Army command in Europe is one of several positions the Pentagon downgraded from a four-star post to a three-star post, as part of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s push to reduce the number of senior officers.
