U.S. Army Gen. Bantz J. Craddock, formerly head of the U.S. military command responsible for Guantanamo Bay, took charge of its European Command on Monday. Craddock, who is also taking over as supreme allied commander of NATO forces, replaced retiring U.S. Marine Gen. James L. Jones at a ceremony in southwestern Germany. Deputy Defense Secretary Gordon England, presiding over the ceremony in a gymnasium at command headquarters in Patch Barracks near Stuttgart, told Craddock that while «you have some very large shoes to fill ... we are blessed to have someone of your caliber and leadership.» Craddock vowed to continue Jones' work «laying the foundations for peace and prosperity,» the Associated Press reported.
