French Army and U.S. Army exchange a general officer as deputy division commander.

For the first time in French and U.S. history, France and the U.S. are exchanging an army general officer to take a division deputy commander position.

Newly promoted Brig. Gen. Todd Wasmund, left, at the U.S. Army Europe HQ in Wiesbaden, Germany, Sept. 4, 2018 (Picture source: U.S. Army / Volker Ramspott)

U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Todd Wasmund and French Brig. Gen. Hubert Cottereau are the first approved exchanges in the U.S. Army's Military Personnel Exchange Program (MPEP). Wasmund, currently the deputy commanding general for support for the 1st Infantry Division, will serve as the deputy commander of France's 3rd Armored Division. He is set to begin his assignment early next year, according to the Army, while Cottereau, who will take over as deputy commanding general for the readiness of the 3rd Infantry Division at Fort Stewart, will start this summer after arriving at Fort Stewart earlier this month.

The Army said that exchanges will last between two and three years and are meant to "strengthen bonds of friendship, understanding, and interoperability between the countries and their respective military operations."