Overview
/ Objectives, Activities / Deployed Forces
/ Prepositioned Equipment / Military Construction
Chapter 6: Theater Strategy
Overview
/ Objectives, Activities / Deployed Forces
/ Prepositioned Equipment / Military Construction
Forward presence demonstrates U.S. commitment
The first pillar of the USCENTCOM theater strategy, Forward Presence, demonstrates U.S. commitment, facilitates access, enhances deterrence, and supports transition from peace to war. Forward Presence relies on the synergistic effect of combining naval, ground, air, and special operations forces in the region, as well as prepositioned equipment and military construction to support rapid introduction of additional forces should the need arise. Forward Presence, in concert with Exercises and Security Assistance, comprise the overseas presence portion of the USCENTCOM theater strategy.
USCENTCOM's Forward Presence objectives and those activities necessary to achieve them are as follows:
Objectives
Activities
Anywhere from 10,000 to 22,000 U.S. military personnel are normally deployed to the USCENTCOM AOR on a daily basis. The actual number of personnel within this range fluctuates and is primarily dependent on the presence of a carrier battle group, an amphibious ready group, or both. Before the Gulf War, USCENTCOM's primary presence was one U.S. flagship with four naval escorts. Today, USCENTCOM's forward presence has evolved to include a mix of forces comprised of the following:
Prepositioning is a strategic imperative that reduces warning and reaction time required to deploy forces in accordance with plans, and permits early defense of key infrastructure. It minimizes risk to early-deploying forces, enhances sustainability, reduces strategic lift requirements, and allows for early introduction of critical armor forces. The cornerstone of this effort is the prepositioning of three heavy brigades of equipment ready for use in the AOR in a crisis. Current plans call for the brigade already in Kuwait to be joined by another ashore brigade sited elsewhere in the region and a third brigade afloat. However, USCENTCOM is exploring possible locations for a third heavy brigade ashore to complement the one afloat. Additional items prepositioned in the AOR include: Air Force bare base sets, water and fuel distribution equipment, medical equipment and supplies, and support vehicles.
A key element of USCENTCOM's forward presence directly supporting its prepositioning efforts is Service-funded military construction (MILCON). The Central Region is relatively "infrastructure poor," compared to other theaters, with few of the military facilities required to support deploying air and ground forces. Service MILCON is absolutely essential in Southwest Asia because not all host nations there can afford to finance the construction of the required facilities.
