Fort Drum and 10th Mountain Division welcomes new commanding general
Lt. Gen. Gregory Anderson, XVIII Airborne Corps commander and the presiding officer for the ceremony, commended Naumann for his transformative leadership and welcomed Ewers and his family to the North Country.
“Today, we are here to recognize the exceptional leadership of Maj. Gen. Scott Naumann, whose vision, unmatched energy and committed leadership were instrumental to the success of the 10th Mountain,” he said. “And we’re also here to officially welcome Brig. Gen. Joe Ewers to the team and to Fort Drum. And he is now entrusted with the responsibility of leading this mighty division forward.”
Anderson, who relinquished command of the division in May 2024, said he observed how Naumann led with “calm under pressure, focused brilliance.”
“You set a clear, uncompromising vision to ensure the 10th Mountain Division remains the Army’s premier, go-to, blue collar division,” Anderson said. “Scott focuses relentlessly on warfighting readiness, stripping away the white noise and minutia to ensure that, when the nation called, the formation was ready.”
Anderson highlighted Naumann’s operational achievements, notably his role as commander of Joint Task Force Southern Border where he established the JTF headquarters at Fort Huachuca, Arizona, in early 2025.
“(He) provided world-class command and control for six brigades of combat power across 2,000 miles of our southern border,” Anderson said. “An incredibly complex mission, requiring immense strategic patience, vision and operational agility, and your team executed it flawlessly.”
During Naumann’s tenure, the division advanced multidomain operations through its Summit Strike exercises and expanded tactical capabilities at Fort Drum. Upgrades included the establishment of the Mountain Skills Complex on the training ranges and a new climbing structure inside the Nash Training and Testing Facility.
“He even went to the mat with Army Heraldry and got the crossed ski insignia officially approved,” Anderson noted. “And just in time, you locked in a formal official partnership with U.S. Ski and Snowboard Team just in time for the Olympics – well done.”
Anderson said that as Fort Drum bids farewell to one exceptional leader, they can be assured that an equally capable commander will continue to take the division to new heights.
“Brig. Gen. Joe Ewers – Mountain 6 – I have absolute unwavering confidence in your ability to command the 10th Mountain Division,” he said. “Your reputation across the Army precedes you. You’re a proven combat leader, and you are definitely the right officer at the right time to take command of this storied formation."
During his remarks, Naumann invoked Maj. Gen. George P. Hays, who commanded the division in Italy during World War II: “If you’re going to risk your life, you might as well do it in good company.”
“He understood that when the moment of decision arrives, our greatest advantage isn’t found in our equipment or our weapons,” Naumann said. “It’s found in the people standing beside us – in the confidence that comes from knowing they are fit, disciplined and lethal warfighters.”
To illustrate how this legacy lives on in the modern 10th Mountain Division (LI), Naumann shared a story about visiting one of the brigades at a remote outpost in Syria. He met a young specialist who spoke about his teammates, the pre-deployment training, and the confidence they forged in one another.
It was only in passing that the Soldier also mentioned how he defeated two enemy drones. This encounter reminded Naumann that even in an era of rapidly advancing technology, warfighting fundamentally remains a human endeavor.
“The lesson was clear: his confidence wasn’t rooted in technology,” Naumann said. “It was rooted in trust. The strength of this division has always resided in its people.”
Ewers arrived at Fort Drum having previously served as the G-3 (Operations) for U.S. Army Europe and Africa, where he oversaw operational planning and readiness across two theaters.
Taking the podium as the 34th commanding general of the division, Ewers expressed gratitude for the opportunity to lead the renowned formation.
“To the Soldiers, civilians, and families of the 10th Mountain Division and Fort Drum, and the surrounding communities: I am honored and I am humbled for this opportunity to lead and serve this team,” he said. “I will do my best, and I challenge you to do the same.”
The ceremony concluded with a Pass in Review, in which each division element marched past the reviewing stand to the accompaniment of the 10th Mountain Division Band playing traditional marching music.
Following the review, guests attended a reception at The Peak, where community leaders and service members welcomed Ewers and his family to the post.
“This is an incredible opportunity for me as a Soldier and a leader,” Ewers said. “It’s kind of beyond words, but also a real blessing and opportunity for our family.”
Although this is his first assignment at Fort Drum, Ewers said that the division’s work ethic aligns closely with his background.
“I’m a blue collar kid,” he said. “I grew up in Cincinnati, Ohio. My dad paved driveways, and my mom was a registered nurse. I started my career as a young, enlisted Soldier right out of high school at the age of 17.”
Looking forward, Ewers emphasized the need to adapt swiftly to rapid technological integration on the battlefield and the changing character of warfare, without losing sight of foundational Soldier skills.
“You can’t be distracted to think that anything that is great today is going to be great tomorrow, because conditions change,” he said. “So, we, as an organization, have to be very mindful of what conditions are changing – conditions on the modern and future battlefield, conditions in resourcing, conditions in operational requirements – and all of that comes together to create that environment we have to navigate in.”
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