SAN ANTONIO – Two San Antonio-based Army Commands are expected to move to Fort Bragg in North Carolina, according to a media report.

General Randy George, the Army’s chief of staff, announced on Tuesday that Fort Sam Houston will no longer house Army North and Army South, Breaking Defense reported. They will merge with Forces Command (FORSCOM) to create the Western Hemisphere Command.

The San Antonio mayor’s office confirmed to KSAT on Thursday that the consolidated headquarters will relocate to North Carolina.

The change is expected to happen in the next six to eight weeks, Breaking Defense reported.

KSAT reached out to San Antonio Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones to ask about the potential impact on Military City USA.

“As Army leaders shared with us earlier this summer, they are taking steps to achieve efficiencies to accomplish their mission,” Jones said in a statement to KSAT. “While I am disappointed to hear the consolidated headquarters will relocate to North Carolina, Army leaders this summer indicated even this outcome could yield a minimal impact to the overall Army footprint at JBSA.”

Jones said they are waiting for details on the number of personnel who will be relocated from San Antonio.

“San Antonio is unmatched in our ability to host military missions and families, and we look forward to working with the Department of War and Department of the Army to identify additional missions San Antonio may be able to host,” she said.

The merger is part of the U.S. Army’s initiative to slim down headquarters and four-star general officer billets.

George called the move efficient, citing that the new command would be “focused on homeland defense and partnerships with Western Hemisphere allies,” Breaking Defense reported.

Some elements of command operations may remain in San Antonio, the report stated.

KSAT reached out to Fort Sam Houston and Army Public Affairs for comment. Due to the government shutdown, officials were unavailable for comment.

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Posted 2025-10-15T23:51:21-0400 – Updated 2025-10-15T23:51:21-0400

Wednesday marks the deadline for health systems to submit proposals for an acute bed expansion in North Carolina.  

Four major North Carolina health systems are vying to build or expand hospitals in Buncombe County. AdventHealth, Mission Health, Novant Health and UNC Health have all expressed interest in bids.  

Why It Matters 

Whichever health system wins the bid will be able to expand its area of care to the region. This area covers 23 counties, including Buncombe, Haywood, Henderson and Jackson. Western North Carolina is a mountain region with a population of about 1.15 million people, accounting for about 11 percent of the state’s total population.  

What To Know 

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) included a need for 129 acute care beds in Buncombe County in 2025 in its latest State Medical Facilities Plan (SMFP).  

UNC Health told Newsweek on Wednesday that it submitted a plan with the state’s Certificate of Need office to develop UNC Health West Medical Center (UNC Health West), a new, 129-bed community hospital in Buncombe County.  

The new facility plan includes emergency care, labor and delivery services, inpatient acute care and adult psychiatry services. 

“UNC Health West builds on UNC Health Pardee’s record of public service and proven experience and dedication to the western region and UNC Health’s commitment to the health and wellness of our state, resulting in increased access and improved care for the residents of Buncombe and surrounding counties,” UNC Health told Newsweek.  

Novant Health announced in September that it submitted its proposal to build a hospital in western North Carolina.  

The plan includes acute care beds, an emergency room, imaging and pharmacy services.  

“We remain deeply committed to extending high-quality, compassionate care to Western North Carolina,” a Novant Health spokesperson told Newsweek. “Over the past year, we’ve worked closely with the community and local physicians to grow our specialty care network in the region and have applied for a 34-bed hospital in Buncombe County.”

Novant is based in Winston-Salem and has 19 hospitals and hundreds of outpatient locations and physicians’ clinics in North Carolina and South Carolina. 

Mission Health, part of HCA Healthcare, expressed its plan to apply for the 129 beds, confirming the plan to the Asheville Watchdog earlier this month.  

AdventHealth has also thrown its hat in the ring. The health system said in July that this expansion “reflects the voices of the community and AdventHealth’s commitment to delivering more access, more choice, and more whole-person care to Western North Carolina.” 

“This hospital is more than a location—it is a vision,” Brandon Nudd, president and CEO for AdventHealth Hendersonville and AdventHealth Polk, said in a statement. “It is a promise to Western North Carolina that more not-for-profit, whole-person care is not only coming but also evolving. These additional beds will allow us to meet the growing needs of our region and deliver the high-acuity, compassionate care our communities deserve.” 

AdventHealth is also building a hospital in Weaverville, North Carolina. This facility was approved by the NCDHHS in 2022 after the North Carolina State Medical Facilities Plan listed a need for 67 acute care beds to serve Buncombe, Graham, Madison and Yancey Counties.  

Mission Health/HCA appealed the decision, leading to a legal battle in 2023 that has delayed the process. In November 2024, AdventHealth announced that the state approved an additional 26 beds for the Weaverville location.  

What Happens Next  

Per North Carolina’s Certificate of Need (CON) program, the major health construction projects require state approval.  DHSR has from 90 to 150 days to review a CON application. Each application is reviewed against the review criteria in the CON Law and any applicable rules adopted by DHSR.  

The review process will begin in November. 

Newsweek reached out to AdventHealth and Mission Health for comment.

Have an announcement or news to share? Contact the Newsweek Health Care team at health.care@newsweek.com.