Unified Combatant
Commands
There
are 10 Unified Combatant Commands:
· 6 Geographical Commands
· 4 Functional Commands
A unified
combatant command (UCC) is
a U.S. Department of Defense command composed of forces from at least 2 of the 3 Military Departments (Army, Navy
& Air Force) and has a broad and continuing mission. These commands are
established to provide effective command and control of U.S.
military forces, regardless of branch of service, in peace and war.
United
States Combatant Commanders' Area of Responsibility are:
1) U.S Africa Command (Founded 1947) – Commanded by General
Thomas Waldhauser, U.S. Marine Corps
U.S.
Africa Command is responsible for military relations with African nations, the
African Union and African regional security organizations. It protects and
defends the interests of the U.S. by strengthening the defense capabilities of
African nations and, in cooperation with African governments, conducts military
missions that increase security while deterring and defeating a variety of
transnational threats.
2) U.S. Central Command (Founded 1983) –
Commanded by General Ken McKenzie, U.S. Army
U.S. Central Command is responsible for operations in 20 countries that fall in
the "central” area of the globe: Afghanistan, Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Iraq,
Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi
Arabia, Syria, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan and
Yemen. U.S. Central Command utilizes national and international partnerships to
build cooperation among nations, respond to crisis, deter and defeat threats
and support development that ultimately increases stability in the region.
3) U.S. European Command (Founded 1952) – Commanded
by General Todd D. Wolters, U.S. Air Force
U.S. European Command works with NATO and other partner nations to address the
security and defense needs of nations in Europe and parts of the Middle East
and Eurasia. It coordinates with these nations to find cooperative solutions in
peace and wartime alike, to plan training missions, provide humanitarian
assistance and to develop strategies for promoting peace and stability in the
region.
4) U.S. Northern Command (Founded 2002) –
Commanded bys General Terrance O’Shaughnessy, U.S. Air Force
U.S. Northern Command operates in the area of responsibility encompassing the
continental United States, Alaska, Mexico, Canada, portions of the Caribbean
and surrounding waters. It is primarily responsible for civil support and
homeland security and also oversees the North American Aerospace Defense
Command (NORAD). It has few permanent forces and is instead assigned forces by
the Secretary of Defense or the President whenever required for the execution
of its missions.
5) U.S. Indo-Pacific Command (Founded 1947) –
Commanded by Admiral Phillip Davidson, U.S. Navy
U.S. Pacific Command oversees an area of responsibility stretching from the
waters of the U.S. west coast to the western border of India, and from
Antarctica to the North Pole, encompassing 36 diverse nations. It and its
partners work to promote the development of the region while cooperating to
enhance security, deter aggression, respond with force when necessary and to
provide humanitarian assistance.
6) U.S. Southern Command (Founded 1963) –
Commanded by is Admiral Craig Faller, U.S. Navy
U.S. Southern Command oversees an area of responsibility encompassing 31
nations in Latin America south of Mexico, Central and South America, and the
Caribbean Sea. It works to increase the security of the U.S. by engaging its
partners to enhance the peacekeeping abilities of the region, to promote human
rights, to deter illegal activities associated with illicit trafficking and to
conduct multinational military exercises designed to strengthen partnerships
while developing collective capabilities.
7) U.S. Cyber Command (Founded 2009) – Commanded by General Paul
Nakasone – U.S. Army
U.S. Cyber Command's mission is to direct, synchronize, and coordinate
cyberspace planning and operations to defend and advance national interests in
collaboration with domestic and international partners
8) U.S. Special Operations Command (Founded 1987)
– Commanded by General Richard D. Clarke – U.S. Army
The U.S. Special Operations Command is responsible for planning for and
conducting special operations. It offers direct action in the form of short
duration strikes and small-scale offensives, special reconnaissance,
unconventional warfare, foreign internal defense, civil affairs operations,
counterterrorism, psychological operations, information operations,
counter-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, security force
assistance, counterinsurgency operations and any specific activities directed
by the President or the Secretary of Defense.
9) U.S. Strategic Command (Founded 1992) –
Commanded by General John Hyten – U.S. Air Force
The U.S. Strategic Command HQ is at Offutt Air Force Base in Omaha, Nebraska.
It conducts global operations in partnership with other Combatant Commands,
services and U.S. government agencies to deter and detect strategic attacks
against the U.S. It is responsible for command of U.S. nuclear capabilities,
space operations, global surveillance and reconnaissance, intelligence,
communications, computers, global missile defense and combatting weapons of
mass destruction.
10) U.S. Transportation Command (Founded 1987) –
Commanded by General Stephan R. Lyons – U.S. Army
The U.S. Transportation Command provides the Department of Defense with an
aggregate of transportation capabilities and assets. Together with commercial
partnerships, it enables a diverse array of joint mobility missions.
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