U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM)
From original document at http://www.dtic.dlA.mil/defenselink/factfile/chapter1/centcom.html
The U.S. Central Command (USCENTCOM), located at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, Fla., is the administrative headquarters for U.S. military affairs in 20 countries of the Middle East, Southwest Asia, Northeast Africa, and the Arabian Gulf. The Command was established by President Reagan in January 1983 as the evolutionary successor to the Rapid Deployment Joint Task Force.
Since its inception, USCENTCOM has matured into a truly unified joint service command. Day-to-day, there are about 675 people from all services assigned to USCENTCOM headquarters. If needed, the command draws on personnel from the operating forces of each military service. USCENTCOM component commands include the U.S. Army Forces Central Command (ARCENT) at Ft. McPherson, Ga.; U.S. Central Command Air Forces (CENTAF) at Shaw AFB, S.C.; U.S. Naval Forces Central Command (NAVCENT) in Bahrain; U.S. Marine Corps Forces Central Command (MARCENT) at Camp H.M. Smith, Hawaii; and U.S. Special Operations Command Central (SOCCENT) at MacDill AFB, Tampa, Fla.
USCENTCOM's area of responsibility includes 20 countries of diverse political, economic, cultural and geographic make-up in Europe, Asia and Africa. Three of the world's major religions have their roots there: Christianity, Judaism and Islam. The area is larger than the continental United States, stretching some 3,100 miles east to west and 3,400 miles north to south. The topography includes mountain ranges with elevations as high as 24,000 feet, desert areas below sea level, and temperatures ranging from freezing to above 130 degrees. The 19 countries within the USCENTCOM area of responsibility include: Afghanistan, Bahrain, Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Jordan, Iran, Iraq, Kenya, Kuwait, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Seychelles, Somalia, Sudan, United Arab Emirates and the Republic of Yemen.
This region contains more than 70 percent of the world's oil reserves, making it vital to the economies of the United States and its allies. It also includes the major maritime trade routes linking the Middle East, Europe, South and East Asia and the Western Hemisphere, and maritime choke points such as the Straits of Hormuz and the Suez Canal.
USCENTCOM reports through the Chairman of the Joint Chief of Staff to the Secretary of Defense.
USCENTCOM supports U.S. and free-world interests by assuring access to Mideast oil resources, helping friendly regional states maintain their own security and collective defense, maintaining an effective and visible U.S. military presence in the region, deterring threats by hostile regional states and projecting military force into the region if necessary.
The U.S. forward presence in the area is flexible and functions to support U.S. foreign policy and our allies in the region. During Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm in 1990-1991, the command coordinated the activities of 541,000 U.S. and 258,000 coalition forces to oust Iraqi forces from Kuwait.
After the Gulf War, when Saddam Hussein began to attack civilians and harass humanitarian workers in southern Iraq in violation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 688, the coalition decided it needed to monitor Iraqi flights below the 32nd parallel. Operation Southern Watch began in August, 1992 with regular reconnaissance sorties over Iraq, south of the 32nd. There are an average of 20,000 U.S. troops in the region in support of Southern Watch. This operation is ongoing, and will continue until the coalition determines that it is no longer necessary.
In addition to Southern Watch, Maritime Interception Operations (MIO) began in 1990 to enforce United Nations Sanctions against Iraq. The sanctions provide for an embargo of certain goods destined for Iraq until it complies with a series of UN Security Council resolutions addressing weapons of mass destruction and other issues stemming from the Gulf War. Interceptions are being conducted by multinational naval forces which patrol assigned areas and monitor, query, board and inspect if necessary those vessels which are suspected of violating UN sanctions. Since interceptions began, more than 22,000 ships have been challenged and over 9,700 merchant vessels have been boarded and inspected.
In 1992, U.S. troops were ordered to Somalia on a humanitarian mission. During Operation Provide Relief (August 1992 to February 1993), more than 500 U.S. troops based in Kenya made almost 2,000 sorties from Mombasa and delivered more than 23,000 metric tons of relief supplies to the sick and starving Somalis. Operation Restore Hope (December 1992 to May 1993) saw a peak U.S. troop strength of more than 54,000 working to ensure delivery of humanitarian relief supplies inside Somalia. These U.S. troops, under the purview of USCENTCOM, were joined in their efforts by several thousand United Nations troops from 23 other countries. USCENTCOM completed its humanitarian support to Somalia in March of 1994, leaving a small contingent of security forces at the American Embassy. One year later in February and March of 1995, USCENTCOM supported the final phase of the withdrawal of United Nations troops from Somalia during Operation United Shield. More than 6,000 American troops, along with the support of forces from other nations, ensured the safe and orderly withdrawal of United Nations forces from Somalia.
In October 1994, Saddam Hussein again threatened the stability in the Gulf region. Iraq's build-up of forces along Kuwait's border demonstrated a willingness and ability to threaten its neighbors and to jeopardize access to the oil that is the lifeblood of the industrialized world. The strong, rapid U.S. response during Operation Vigilant Warrior demonstrated our military capability and likely averted another war in the Gulf. At the onset, USCENTCOM relied on its forward deployed units, along with regional and allied forces, to defend against this aggression. Within days, these forces were joined by an aircraft carrier, additional cruise missile ships, reinforcing Air Force squadrons, and two Army brigades. This demonstration of American military capability forced Saddam Hussein to withdraw his forces and defused the crisis.
Maintaining stability and preserving the free flow of oil and other commerce through this vital region will become ever more critical as the world grows more economically interdependent. Challenges to regional stability can be expected to persist in the future. These challenges will likely include military adventurism, ethnic and religious confrontations, and natural disasters. To meet these challenges, USCENTCOM must actively promote regional stability through forward presence, combined exercises, and security assistance. By so doing, the U.S. will encourage its regional partners to meet their own legitimate defense needs, while demonstrating to its friends and potential adversaries alike that USCENTCOM remains ready when needed to protect the security interests of the United States.
USCENTCOM, Public Affairs, MacDill Air Force Base, FL 33621-5101; (813) 828-5895 FAX (813) 840-5629