A new commander rose to the helm of U.S. Joint Forces Command in a morning ceremony Friday.

Army Gen. Raymond T. Odierno officially assumed command from acting commander Army Lt. Gen. Keith M. Huber. The ceremony at the Suffolk branch of the command was presided over by Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

“There’s no greater responsibility than to command soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines,” said Odierno, who most recently headed Multi-National Force Iraq and U.S. Forces Iraq from September 2008 to September 2010. “These great young men and women are what make us successful today. It’s so exciting to continue to be involved with them on a daily basis.”

The beleaguered command has been proposed for closure by Defense Secretary Robert Gates as part of a proposal to make cuts throughout the department. Virginia lawmakers are opposing the change.

JFCOM employs about 2,200 at a massive facility in Suffolk, as well as more in Norfolk. Roughly 5,000 private-sector jobs are estimated to be directly or indirectly supported by the command and its employees.

In August, a secret memo was sent to local elected leaders from Frank Roberts, then the executive director of the Hampton Roads Military and Federal Facilities Alliance. The memo accused Odierno, as well as former commander, Marine Corps Gen. James N. Mattis, of approving of the closure.

“It appears that General Mattis, General [James] Cartwright and General Odierno have known about the recommendation to eliminate JFCOM for a few months and they all support it,” the memo said.

Cartwright is the vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Even so, Odierno complimented the work JFCOM does, saying he had personally benefited from it during his time in Iraq.

“The past 10 years have taught us that we will never fight alone,” he said. “The outstanding contributions made by my predecessors have prepared me to lead you to carry on this important mission.”

Mullen praised Odierno for his work both in Iraq and now in Hampton Roads.

“Ray Odierno was the right leader for the right job in Iraq, and he is the right leader to lead here today,” Mullen said. “He understands that you can’t manage a war, or any significant endeavor for that matter, from an office or command center. I know he will bring that same commitment and energy that he had in Iraq to (U.S.) Joint Forces Command.”

Odierno also has served as the primary military advisor to Secretaries of State Colin Powell and Condoleeza Rice. He is one of the few Army generals in history to command a division, corps and entire theater during the same conflict.

Among his numerous other assignments, Odierno was at the helm of the 4th Infantry Division in December 2003 when soldiers assigned to the unit captured former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein.

Odierno has a bachelor of science degree in engineering from West Point, and master’s degrees in nuclear effects engineering and national security and strategy from North Carolina State University and the Naval War College, respectively. He also is a graduate of the U.S. Army War College.