Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Nicholas J. De La Pena | U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Henry S. Dixon, Joint Task Force North commanding general passes a...... read more read more
FORT BLISS, Texas – U.S. Air Force Command Chief Master Sgt. Christopher C. Murphy assumed responsibility of Joint Task Force North (JTF-N) from U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Maj. Marco A. Cordero at Fort Bliss, Texas, on May 28, 2025.
Maj. Gen. Henry S. Dixon, commander of JTF-N, officiated the ceremony at the command headquarters. Leaders from across the Fort Bliss installation and beyond, including retired Brig. Gen. Richard A. Behrenhausen, the first commander of Joint Task Force Six, as well as the previous JTF-N commander, retired Maj. Gen. Matthew D. Smith.
Murphy’s arrival at JTF-N comes on the heels of two years spent in the Middle East, most recently in the role of command chief master sergeant of the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar. Born in Heidelberg, Germany, he enlisted in the Air Force in 1999 and spent just over a decade in the security forces. He transitioned to the intelligence field as a technical sergeant in 2011, which led to opportunities supporting special operations units and holding squadron leadership positions. His deployment experience includes Operations Southern Watch, Inherent Resolve, Iraqi Freedom and more.
“I’m extremely excited for the opportunity to not only be here, but to serve with and for each and every one of us at JTF-N,” Murphy said.
This change in enlisted leadership coincides with a transition period for the command. When JTF-N was created in 1989 as JTF-6, the organization was designated as the key Department of Defense support to law enforcement agencies combating drug trafficking and other illicit activities at the U.S. southern border. While that effort took various forms over the years, the command has spent over half of the last decade overseeing the Department of Homeland Security’s request for assistance mission in direct support of U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
That responsibility now belongs to Joint Task Force-Southern Border, allowing JTF-N to shift its focus back to its primary mission of enabling interagency partners to disrupt and degrade transnational criminal organizations.
“When we sought nominations from the joint force for our next command senior enlisted leader, I expected a competitive group of candidates,” said Dixon of Murphy’s selection process. “I am confident that we have chosen the right man for the right time for this command.”
Cordero, who served as JTF-N’s command senior enlisted leader for almost three years, will be heading to Okinawa, Japan, for his next assignment. The New York native enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1998. His nearly three decades of service have included land and amphibious operations, recruiting, instructing and numerous leadership positions. While he expressed his excitement to return to the Marine Corps, Cordero spoke fondly of his time with the command and the influence JTF-N had on him.
“Thank you for your mentorship, trust and unwavering support,” said Cordero to Dixon, Smith, and retired Maj. Gen. Randall Simmons (not in attendance), with whom he began his tenure at JTF-N. “You have allowed me to lead boldly, and I am forever grateful to have served as the command senior enlisted leader of Joint Task Force North.”
| Date Taken: | 05.28.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 05.28.2025 17:34 |
| Story ID: | 499119 |
| Location: | EL PASO, TEXAS, US |
| Hometown: | EL PASO, TEXAS, US |
| Web Views: | 54 |
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