Evolution of United States Central Command from Operational to Strategic Headquarters
Evolution of United States Central Command from Operational to Strategic Headquarters

Author: David A. Dawson (student.)

Publisher:

Published: 2010

Total Pages: 34

ISBN-13:

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Geographic combatant commands are intended to function as a bridge between the operational and strategic level commands. However, a combination of doctrinal, organizational, and cultural factors often lead combatant commands to focus on the operational level. Doctrinally and organizationally, reliance on functional component commanders forces the combatant commander to assume an operational role. Culturally, the desire to 'get into the fight' draws the commander and staff into a focus on current operations. This proved to be the case during the first twenty years of U.S. Central Command. The operational focus of the CENTCOM headquarters did not present serious problems as long as operations were relatively short, as in DESERT STORM, or routine, as in SOUTHERN WATCH. But by late 2003 the demands of sustained combat operations across the CENTCOM AOR required the Commander of USCENTCOM to reorganize command relationships in order to regain his strategic focus, creating JTFs for both Iraq and Afghanistan to focus on operations in those countries. Current doctrine needs only minor revision, but when contingencies occur, combatant commanders should quickly establish JTFs to handle major operations.

Anchor of Resolve
Anchor of Resolve

Author: Robert J. Schneller

Publisher: Military Bookshop

Published: 2007-12-01

Total Pages: 144

ISBN-13: 9781782661139

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This illustrated history covers the history of the U.S. Navy in the Middle East. America's interests in the Middle East, southwest Asia, and eastern Africa date almost to the founding of the nation. Since World War II, the Navy has been the first line of defense for these interests. From the establishment of the Middle East Force (MEF) in 1949 through the beginning of the 21st century, the U.S. Navy served as a force for stability and peace in the region.

The Long War
The Long War

Author: John Morrissey

Publisher: University of Georgia Press

Published: 2017

Total Pages: 168

ISBN-13: 0820351040

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Morrissey explores CENTCOM's Cold War origins and evolution, before addressing key elements of the command's grand strategy, including its interventionary rationales and use of the law in war. Engaging a wide range of scholarship, he then looks in-depth at the military interventions CENTCOM has spearheaded.

Vietnam Studies - Command and Control 1950-1969 [Illustrated Edition]
Vietnam Studies - Command and Control 1950-1969 [Illustrated Edition]

Author: Major General George S. Eckhardt

Publisher: Pickle Partners Publishing

Published: 2014-08-15

Total Pages: 137

ISBN-13: 1782893679

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[Includes 11 charts, 1 map, and 20 illustrations] “In combat situations prior to Vietnam, U.S. military forces had an existing command and control structure which could be tailored to accomplish the task at hand. In Europe during World War II General Dwight D. Eisenhower modified the command structures developed for the North African and Mediterranean operations to form Supreme Headquarters, Allied Expeditionary Force (SHAEF). After his departure from Bataan in 1942, General Douglas MacArthur had several months in which to design the command structure that ultimately contributed to the defeat of the Japanese...There, the command and control arrangements, which ultimately directed a U.S. Military force of over 500,000 men, evolved from a small military assistance mission established in 1950. The Military Assistance Advisory Group’s philosophy of assistance rather than command significantly influenced the development of the organization. “This monograph describes the development of the U. S. military command and control structure in Vietnam. The focus of the study is primarily on the Military Assistance Command, Vietnam (MACV), and the U.S. Army in Vietnam (USARV). The relationships with the joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS), Commander in Chief, Pacific (CINCPAC), U.S. Army, Pacific (USARPAC), and other outside agencies are discussed only as their decisions, policies, and directives affected MACV and operations within South Vietnam. The air war against North Vietnam and naval operations of the U.S. Seventh Fleet were CINCPAC’s responsibilities and are only mentioned in regard to their impact on MACV and the forces under MACV. “This study is not a conventional military or diplomatic history of the war in Vietnam. Rather, it is an analytical appraisal of the command and control structure.”

Defining U.S. Atlantic Command's Role in the Power Projection Strategy
Defining U.S. Atlantic Command's Role in the Power Projection Strategy

Author: Douglas C. Lovelace (Jr.)

Publisher:

Published: 1998

Total Pages: 96

ISBN-13:

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The authors of this monograph argue that the lynch-pin in the power projection strategy of the United States is a completely transformed U.S. Atlantic Command (USACOM). The monograph details how USACOM has been allowed to "evolve" since its inception in 1993 but is yet to achieve its full potential for implementing the CONUS-based power projection strategy. Recognizing USACOM as a principal actor in support of this new strategy, the authors recommend that USACOM should be further transformed into a "Joint Forces Command." Their analysis exposes the need for a significant review of Title 10 of the U.S. Code and a reexamination of some of the fundamental tenets underlying the structure and command of the U.S. armed forces. The reappraisals they propose will impact the Office of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Joint Staff, the Military Departments, and the unified combatant commands in important ways.

Combatant Commands
Combatant Commands

Author: Cynthia A. Watson

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing USA

Published: 2010-12-16

Total Pages: 273

ISBN-13: 0313354332

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A one-stop resource for information about U.S. military commands and their organizations, this book describes the six geographic combat commands and analyzes their contributions to national security. The first book on the topic, Combatant Commands: Origins, Structure, and Engagements is a unique introduction to the geographic commands that are now at the heart of the U.S. military deployment abroad. The book begins with a description of the six commands—Northern Command, Pacific Command, Central Command, Southern Command, European Command, and Africa Command—explaining how they fit into the current national security establishment. Each command is discussed in depth, including areas of responsibility, subcommands, priorities, threats faced, and engagement institutions. The history of joint combatant commands is outlined as well, particularly the impact of the Root Reforms of the early 20th century, the push for the 1947 National Security Act, and the 1986 Goldwater-Nichols Military Reform Act. In this way, the evolution of combatant commands becomes a window through which to view changes in the U.S. military. Geographic combatant commands are vital to national security. By understanding how they work, readers will better understand where our military is today and where it may be headed.

From Desert One to Southern Watch: The Evolution of U.S. Central Command
From Desert One to Southern Watch: The Evolution of U.S. Central Command

Author:

Publisher:

Published: 2000

Total Pages: 8

ISBN-13:

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Following World War II, the United States assumed a global leadership role. The nations in what comprises the area of responsibility of U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) were viewed through the prism of the Cold War, with policies focused on denying turf and resources, including the oil of the Middle East, to the Soviet Union. After the British withdrew from east of the Suez in 1967, the United States depended on Iran and Saudi Arabia to promote peace and ensure stability within the region. This approach received added impetus under the Nixon Doctrine, which called on both friends and allies in the region to counter threats within a Cold War context. This strategy began to unravel in 1979 when the hostage crisis in Iran and Soviet invasion of Afghanistan raised doubt about America's ability to honor commitments to friendly Arab states and Israel, as well as secure access to resources of the Arabian Gulf. In January 1980 President Jimmy Carter proclaimed that any outside attempt to gain control over the region would be taken as an assault on vital national interests. To enforce the Carter Doctrine, the Rapid Deployment Joint Task Force (RDJTF) was established in March 1980.