WATCH : VP Kamla Harris and Usher hold campaign rally in Atlanta

Watch entire VP Kamala Harris & Usher at Early Vote Event in Atlanta, GA.

U.S. Navy Vice Adm. Alvin Holsey to become SOUTHCOM commander

U.S. Navy Vice Adm. Alvin Holsey is scheduled to assume duties as commander of U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) from U.S. Army Gen. Laura J. Richardson during a change-of command ceremony 1 p.m. Nov. 7, 2024, at the command’s headquarters.

Holsey, who previously served as the Military Deputy commander at SOUTHCOM, will be promoted to the rank of admiral before the ceremony.

Richardson will retire after more than four decades of military service as a decorated Army officer and distinguished aviator that included leadership roles in various assignments from the Company to the Theater level, as well as deployments to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Richardson’s career also included assignments as Military Aide to the Vice President at the White House, Chief of Army Legislative Liaison to the U.S. Congress in Washington, D.C., and as a U.S. Army campaign planner at the Pentagon.

Richardson assumed command of SOUTHCOM Oct. 29, 2021, during a history-making ceremony in which she became the first woman general to lead the U.S. combatant command. Under her leadership, SOUTHCOM conducted numerous operations directly supporting regional security, increased security cooperation with regional defense and security partners, and optimized its multinational exercise program to strengthen the region’s collective security capacity and bolster interoperability.

Richardson also led the command’s critical support to partner nation efforts aimed at disrupting the activities of transnational criminal organizations and malign state actors; including illicit trafficking; human smuggling; illegal, unregulated, and underreported fishing; and cyberattacks. SOUTHCOM is currently supporting the Multinational Security Support mission assisting Haitian-led efforts in and near Port-au-Prince to restore security in communities impacted by widespread gang violence.

Holsey will also make history when he assumes command duties November 7, becoming the first African American to lead SOUTHCOM since the organization assumed its mission more than six decades ago. The U.S. Senate confirmed Holsey’s presidential nomination September 24. 

A Georgia native, Holsey was commissioned through the Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps (NROTC) program at Morehouse College in 1988, where he received a degree in Computer Science.  In 1995, he earned a Master of Science in management from Troy State University, and in 2010, he attended the Joint Forces Staff college.

Holsey’s career includes numerous deployments aboard U.S. Navy frigates and cruisers, as well as missions flying the SH-2F Seasprite and SH-60B Seahawk helicopters. He commanded a helicopter anti-submarine squadron; the U.S. Navy’s first hybrid electric propulsion warship, USS Makin Island (LHD 8); and Carrier Strike Group One aboard the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson, (CVN 70).

Holsey previously made history as the inaugural commander of the International Maritime Security Construct / Coalition Task Force Sentinel, tasked with ensuring freedom of navigation, adherence to international law, free flow of commerce, and the stability of maritime commons in the Middle East. His career assignments include tours as deputy director for operations at the National Military Command Center for the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and deputy chief of naval personnel at Navy Personnel Command.

SOUTHCOM is one of the nation’s six geographically focused unified commands.  The command is responsible for U.S. defense and security cooperation with partner nations in the Caribbean, Central America and South America, as well as U.S. military operations sin the region. 

Last Chance for High School Students to Apply for Disney Dreamers Academy at Walt Disney World Resort

Time is running out for high school students with big dreams to take the next step toward their future, as the Oct. 31 application deadline for the Disney Dreamers Academy is fast approaching. 

Disney Dreamers Academy, in its 18th year, is an educational mentorship program that is fostering the career dreams of high school students from culturally diverse communities nationwide.

Well-known celebrities, educators, business executives, community leaders and Disney cast members lead various in-depth workshops designed for the 100 students who are selected for the program.

These workshops introduce Disney Dreamers to diverse career paths in business, entertainment, STEM and more, including career opportunities at The Walt Disney Company. They also provide students with valuable life tools, leadership skills, effective communication techniques and networking strategies.

Applications are open to U.S. high school students, ages 13 to 19. A distinguished panel of leaders will evaluate the applications, and selected participants will be announced in early 2025. 

The 100 selected students will receive an all-expense-paid trip along with one parent or guardian to Walt Disney World Resort in Florida to experience a combination of inspiration, education and fun at The Most Magical Place On Earth. 

Anyone interested can apply or nominate a student at www.DisneyDreamersAcademy.com

Disney Dreamers Academy is one of the many examples of Walt Disney World's commitment to supporting diverse communities by inspiring young people to dream boldly, pursue their passions, and make a meaningful difference in the world.

For more information, visit DisneyDreamersAcademy.com, or follow on social media at Facebook.com/DisneyDreamersAcademy, X.com/DreamersAcademy and Instagram.com/disneydreamersacademy/. 

WATCH: Former President Obama Campaigns for VP Harris in Tucson, Arizona

Watch Former President Barack Obama speak on behalf of Vice President Harris’s 2024 presidential campaign at a rally in Tucson, Arizona. President Obama encouraged those in attendance to make a plan to vote and to encourage their family and friends to do the same.

Watch his speech below:

VP KAMALA HARRIS’ APPEARANCE ON FOX NEWS CHANNEL’S SPECIAL REPORT WITH BRET BAIER DELIVERS NEARLY 8 MILLION VIEWERS

FOX News Channel’s (FNC) Special Report with Bret Baier delivered 7.8 million viewers and 1,126,000 in the 25-54 demo during anchor Bret Baier’s exclusive interview with Vice President Kamala Harris from 6 – 6:30 PM/ET on October 16th, according to Nielsen Media Research. The interview marked the highest rated of the Harris-Trump political season, outrating Harris’s appearances on 60 Minutes, The View, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, CNN and MSNBC. For the full 6 PM/ET hour, Special Report drew 6.7 million viewers and 901,000 in the 25-54 demo. Combined with the show’s midnight airing (6-6:30 PM/ET and 12-12:30 AM/ET), Special Report’s interview with Vice President Harris nabbed 9.2 million viewers and 1.4 million in the 25-54 demo, beating ABC’s interview with President Biden before he dropped out of the race (8.5 million viewers). FNC averaged more than 12 million viewers on Wednesday between all three airings of its interviews with Vice President Harris (6 PM/ET & 12 AM/ET) and its town hall with former President Trump (11AM-12 PM/ET).

The network’s first formal interview with the vice president topped her appearance on CBS News’ 60 Minutes (5.7 million viewers), ABC’s The View (3.1 million viewers) and CBS’ The Late Show with Stephen Colbert (2.9 million viewers) as well as CNN and MSNBC’s Harris appearances. Special Report saw 189% growth with viewers and 285% growth in the 25-54 demo compared to its 2024-to-date average and was the top program on cable news on Wednesday.