General (GEN) James T. Hill served as the 17th Commander in Chief (CINC), United States Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) from August 18, 2002 to November 9, 2004.

NOTE:  On 24 October 2002, Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld announced that in accordance with Title 10 of the US Code (USC), the title of "Commander-in-Chief" would thereafter be reserved for the President, consistent with the terms of Article II of the United States Constitution. Thereafter, the military CINCs would be known as "combatant commanders", as heads of the Unified Combatant Commands.