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A 'Unified Combatant Command' (COCOM) is a United States joint military command composed of forces from two or more services, has a broad and continuing mission, and is organized either on a geographical basis (known as "Area Of Responsibility", AOR) or on a functional basis. All COCOMs are commanded by either a four star general or admiral and are considered "joint" commands with specific badges denoting their affiliation. COCOMs are led by Combatant Commanders, formerly known as a regional "Commander-in Chief" (CINC; pronounced "Sink").
The Unified Command Plan (UCP) is updated annually in conjunction with the DoD Fiscal Year and can modify areas of responsibility or combatant command alignments or assignments. As of January 2007, there were nine Unified Combatant Commands as specified in Title 10 and the latest annual UCP. Five have regional responsibilities, and four have functional responsibilities.

Contents

Combatant Commanders

Creation of USAFRICOM

List of Unified Combatant Commands

References

See also

Combatant Commanders

The Goldwater-Nichols Defense Reorganization Act of 1986 clarified and codified responsibilities that CINCs and their predecessors (theater or area commanders) had undertaken since World War II, and which were first given legal status in 1947.
Regional CINCs were created in order to have a local supreme commander who could exercise unified command and control across service boundaries, ideally eliminating or diminishing interservice rivalries. CINCs reported directly to the United States Secretary of Defense, and through him to the President of the United States. One of the best known CINCs was Norman Schwarzkopf, commander of U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) during Operation Desert Storm.
On October 24, 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.
Each combatant command is headed by a four star general or admiral selected by the Secretary of Defense and President and confirmed by Congress. Goldwater-Nichols also resulted in specific Joint Professional Military Education (JPME)[1] requirements for officers before they could attain flag or general officer rank thereby preparing them for duty in Joint assignments such as COCOM staff or Joint Chiefs of Staff assignments, which are strictly controlled tour length rotations of duty. The chain of command runs from the President to the Secretary of Defense to the combatant commanders of the Unified Combatant Commands. The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff may transmit communications to the Commanders of the Unified Combatant Commands from the President and Secretary of Defense and advises both on potential courses of action, but does not exercise direct military command over any combatant forces. Under Goldwater-Nichols, the service chiefs (also four stars in rank) are charged with the responsibility to "organize, train and equip" forces for use by the combatant commands and do not exercise any operation control over their forces.
Each combatant command can be led by a general or flag officer from any of the services. Most commands have traditional service affiliations, but in recent years, non-traditional appointments have become more common. EUCOM was traditionally an Army command with USAF generals on occasion, but is now held by a Marine. CENTCOM was traditionally an Army and Marine command but the current commander is a Navy admiral. PACOM has always been commanded by a Navy admiral due to the wide expanse of ocean, although Air Force generals have been nominated for the post. U.S. Atlantic Command (USACOM) was also a traditional Navy assignment until it was successively commanded by Marine, Army, and Air Force generals, thereby becoming the first to have had commanders from all four services (USACOM was redesignated as JFCOM in 1996)
. CENTCOM and SOUTHCOM were traditionally Army general positions until the Marines received their first CinC assignments. This led the way for General Pace, a Marine, to become the first Marine Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and ultimately Chairman. COCOM commanders are strong candidates for either position.

Creation of USAFRICOM

Discussion of adding a sixth regional command with an AOR aligned to Africa (now assigned to three separate Combatant Commands) began before the departure of Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld. This sixth regional command for Africa (USAFRICOM) was approved February 6, 2007. The command is to be established by September 30, 2008.

List of Unified Combatant Commands

Regional Responsibilities:

★ United States Africa Command - USAFRICOM (authorized February 2007) Africa Command plans approved by Bush, DOD officials confirm Africa Command Will Consolidate U.S. Efforts on Continent

★ United States Central Command - USCENTCOM

★ United States European Command - USEUCOM

★ United States Pacific Command - USPACOM

★ United States Northern Command - USNORTHCOM

★ United States Southern Command - USSOUTHCOM
Functional Responsibilities:

★ United States Joint Forces Command - USJFCOM

★ United States Special Operations Command - USSOCOM

★ United States Strategic Command - USSTRATCOM

★ United States Transportation Command - USTRANSCOM
Other:

★ Reserve Affairs Worldwide Support - Reserve and National Guard

★ United States Medical Command - USMEDCOM (Proposed, scuttled)

★ United States Atlantic Command - USLANTCOM (1947 - 1999)

★ United States Strike Command - USSTRICOM (1961 - 1972)

★ United States Readiness Command - USREDCOM (1972 - 1987)

★ United States Space Command - USSPACECOM (1985 - 2002)

References

See also