Brigadier General Gerald W. "Gerry" Ketchum leads the Stability Directorate, United States Southern Command, Miami, FL. The Stability Directorate executes theater engagement operations and activities that build partner nation capacity for maintaining democracy, enhancing stability, and establishing collective approaches to regional security. The directorate has primary responsibility for Theater Security Cooperation, including Security Assistance, Training and Exercises, Humanitarian Assistance, Civil Affairs, Human Rights, Modeling, Simulation, Science, Technology, and Experimentation; and integrates medical, engineering, and partner nation training in support of the Commander's strategic objectives.
General Ketchum began his military career as a Reserve Officer Training Corps cadet at Mississippi State University, where he also joined the Mississippi Army National Guard. He has served in numerous command and staff positions.
General Ketchum has extensive experience on the headquarters staffs of the Department of the Army, the National Guard Bureau, and United States Army South. He was on duty in the Army Operations Center during the attack on the Pentagon on 11 September 2001.
General Ketchum was the Army National Guard's Chief of Operations in 2005 for the response to Hurricane Katrina on the United States Gulf Coast and in 2006 - 2007 for Operation Jump Start along the United States Southwest Border. He later deployed to Baghdad in direct support of the United States Army's Third Corps as the Chief of National Guard Affairs for Multi-National Corps - Iraq.
In June 2008, General Ketchum returned to the Pentagon to serve as the Deputy Director of Operations, Readiness and Mobilization for the Department of the Army, supporting Title 10 functions associated with Army current operations, force readiness, mobilization, military support to civil authorities, information operations, electronic warfare, special operation forces, and anti-terrorism/force protection.