Upon completion of his initial training as an Infantryman, CSM Thetford was assigned to Company B, 2d Battalion 75th Ranger Regiment, Fort Lewis, Washington, where he served as a Rifleman, Fire Team Leader and Squad Leader. This required me to think about how to apply Army capabilities on behalf of CENTCOM. U.S. Marine Corps Gen. Kenneth Frank McKenzie, who has led the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) for the past three years, is retiring from the military after 42 years in service. 2. Throughout the decade following the Gulf War, terrorist attacks had a major impact on CENTCOM forces in the region. [10] As its name implies, CENTCOM covers the "central" area of the globe located between the African, European and Indo-Pacific Commands. - During a hearing of the Senate Committee on Armed Services, U.S. CENTCOM operates with Component Commands - one for each of the U.S. armed services, along with a joint special operations component and a number of subordinate joint task forces. Austin became the 28th U.S. Secretary of Defense on January 22, 2021; he is the current incumbent.[40]. The command is headquartered at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, Florida. CENTCOM, in full U.S. Central Command, the portion of the U.S. military responsible for protecting American security interests in an area stretching from the Horn of Africa to Central Asia. By June 2014, the security situation in Iraq had deteriorated with the Iraqi cities of Mosul and Tikrit falling in rapid succession to ISIS aggressors. Unified combatant command of the U.S. Armed Forces responsible for the Middle East, Emblem of the United States Central Command, (including Defense Agencies and DoD Field Activities), was struck by Exocet missiles fired by an Iraqi aircraft, United Nations Security Council Resolution 678, United Nations Security Council Resolution 688, United Nations Security Council Resolution 794, Afghanistan-Pakistan Center of Excellence, United States Naval Forces Central Command, Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force Crisis Response Central Command, United States Air Forces Central Command or Ninth Air Force, Combined Joint Task Force - Horn of Africa, "Deputy Commander, Lt. Gen. Gregory M. Guillot", "Senior Enlisted Leader, Fleet Master Chief Derrick "Wally" Walters", (6 Jan 2022) Biden expected to name 18th Airborne Corps commander to CENTCOM, "Webcast: CENTCOM Welcomes New Commander", https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/citations/AD1145131, "CENTCOM mission expands to include Israel", "U.S. Central Command Twitter feed appears hacked by Islamic State sympathizers", "Home> International 'Cybervandalism': ISIS Supporters Hijack US Military Social Media Accounts", "Report: Centcom leaders didn't cook ISIS intelligence", "US general: US troops won't withdraw from Syrian city of Manbij", "Iran Labels U.S. Central Command a Terrorist Organization", "Space Force to Establish Components for INDOPACOM, CENTCOM, Korea by End of 2022", "USCENTCOM > About Us > Component Commands", "Dempsey Visits U.S. Between 2007 and 2008, McKenzie served in the offices of the militarys Joint Staff as a Deputy Director of Operations within the National Military Command Center and Director of the Chairmans New Administration Transition Team (CNATT), where he oversaw the wartime transition between the George W. Bush and Barack Obama presidential administrations. He began to focus his attention on the possible emergence of a new regional threat - Iraq's Saddam Hussein - and translated these concerns into the summer 1990 command post exercise Internal Look. SOCCENT employs Special Operations capabilities in partnership with U.S. government agencies, regional security forces, and CENTCOM component forces to enable and support the goals and objectives of CENTCOM. In January 2021, Israel became the 21st country of the AOR, added to another 20 nations including Afghanistan, Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, the United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan and Yemen.[9]. Resident in the Middle East for more than 20 years, ARCENT is resourced, postured, and prepared to prevent conflict, preserve stability, shape the area to the benefit of the U.S., and successfully negotiate future contingencies. It was established in 1983, taking over the previous responsibilities of the Rapid Deployment Joint Task Force (RDJTF). 1989 Bachelor of Science, General Engineering, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo. As the air component of CENTCOM, AFCENT is responsible for air operations, either unilaterally or in concert with coalition partners, and for developing contingency plans in support of national objectives for CENTCOMs 20-nation area of responsibility. In the meantime, this six-part video details the birth, life and future of CENTCOM. In the early 21st century CENTCOM contained five units that came from each of the four armed services as well as the Joint Special Operations Command. [29] There was speculation, however, that another reason for its establishment was to serve as a base from which raids into Syria could be launched to seize Syrian WMD if necessary, and as a launch pad for looming American military action in Syria. According to a 2006 online edition of Special Operations Technology magazine,[8] SOCCENT, operating with coalition partners as the CFSOCC, consists of two combined joint special operations task forces [CJSOTFs], one Combined Joint Special Operations Aviation Command (also referred to as 'Component'), which seems to be at Balad Air Base,[9] one joint psychological operations task force, one Naval Special Warfare Unit and three Special Operations command and control elements [SOCCEs]. Privacy & Security Inspector General FOIA Privacy Act, An official website of the United States government, Hosted by Defense Media Activity - WEB.mil. Published April 20, 2023. Under the intelligence directorate, there are several divisions including the Afghanistan-Pakistan Center of Excellence. The joint military command was established on January 1, 1983 - making this month its 40th anniversary. [30][31][32], On 1 October 2008 Combined Joint Task Force - Horn of Africa at Camp Lemonnier in Djibouti was transferred to United States Africa Command (USAFRICOM). The first step was to make the RDJTF independent of U.S. Following the defeat of both the Taliban regime in Afghanistan (Nov. 9, 2001) and Saddam Hussein's government in Iraq (April 8, 2003), USCENTCOM has continued to provide security to the new freely-elected governments in those countries, conducting counterinsurgency operations and assisting host-nation security forces to provide for their own defense. [10] Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force-Arabian Peninsula (CJSOTF-AP), itself answers to While information is scarce, it consists of two battalions of the United States Army Special Forces (the 'Green Berets') and a west coast-based Navy SEAL Team. Famous quotes containing the words list of and/or list: " A man's interest in a single bluebird is worth more than a complete but dry list of the fauna and flora of a town. "[18], In January 2018, Turkey urged the United States to remove its troops from Syrian city of Manbij, saying that otherwise they might come under attack from Turkish troops; however, former CENTCOM commander Joseph Votel confirmed an American commitment to keeping troops in Manbij. An official website of the United States government Here's how you know . The Central Command, known officially as the CentCom, is one the Armed Forces of the Philippines' Wide Support Commands Combating Terrorism and Insurgency in the Visayas Region. The Battle of Mogadishu (Black Hawk Down), Operation Desert Shield / Desert Storm, Operation Southern Watch, the Global War on Terror, Operation New DawnCENTCOM has become the Nations premier warfighting headquarters. The alliance became responsible for the command, coordination and planning of the force, including the provision of a force commander and headquarters on the ground in Afghanistan. According to his service biography, McKenzie began his military career after graduating from The Citadel military college in South Carolina in 1979. CSM Thetford has completed the following significant military courses: Special Forces Qualification Course, Ranger Course, Jumpmaster Course, Pathfinder Course, Military Freefall Jumpmaster Course, Special Forces Combat Diver Supervisor Course, United States Army Sergeants Major Academy, Senior Leaders Force Management Course, Keystone Course, and the Combined/Joint Force Special Operations Component Commanders Course. [39], With the 1983 establishment of CENTCOM Egypt, Sudan, Kenya, Ethiopia, Somalia, and Djibouti came within the area of responsibility (AOR). The buildup of forces continued, reinforced by United Nations Security Council Resolution 678, which called for Iraqi forces to leave Kuwait. The end of formal hostilities did not bring the end of difficulties with Iraq. The decision came in response to a UN request for American protection of its peacekeeping forces serving in the war-torn African nation. Overcoming skeptical perceptions that the command was still an RDJTF in all but name, designed to support a Cold War strategy, took time. The United States Navy maintains one major base and one smaller installation, with extensive deployments afloat and ashore by U.S. Navy, U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Coast Guard ships, aviation units and ground units. He has also participated in peacekeeping operations in Bosnia. U.S. CENTCAST, the official podcast of US Central Command. Read more about this topic: United States Central Command, Modern tourist guides have helped raised tourist expectations. CENTCOM's main headquarters is located at MacDill Air Force Base, in Tampa, Florida. Special Operations Command Central (SOCCENT), a joint unified command of U.S. Central Command (USCENTCOM) was activated at MacDill AFB, Florida, under Permanent Order 49-1 Oct. 1, 1985. The Taliban's successful military operations this week may have come because the United States "underestimated" the group's "planning capabilities," according to one former CENTCOM commander.. Former U.S. CENTCOM commander Gen. Joseph Votel told the Washington Examiner in an interview that he has been "very, very surprised" by the "speed" with which the Taliban has captured . All this must happen at once to contain a potentially unstable part of the world. Gen. James N. Mattis (retired) followed General Petraeus as commander of U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) from 2010-to-2013, responsible for military operations in Iraq, Afghanistan, and 18. Readiness Command, followed by the activation of USCENTCOM in January 1983. Its Area of Responsibility (AOR) includes the Middle East (including Egypt in Africa), Central Asia and parts of South Asia. ", CONPLAN 1067, for possible Biological Warfare response, Department of Defense Test Resource Management Center, Defense Civilian Personnel Advisory Service, This page was last edited on 25 June 2023, at 09:23. May you have good health, peace, and, Today, we highlight UN Security Council Resolution 687, formally ending Operation Desert Storm 32 years ago today,, Today, we honor Gold Star Spouses, those who have lost their beloved partners in service to our nation. In 1979, Iranian militants overthrew the Shah of Iran and installed a theocracy. Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Hosted by Defense Media Activity - WEB.mil, https://dod.defense.gov/News/Article/Article/1799436/votel-passes-central-command-flag-to-mckenzie-in-tampa-ceremony/. USCENTCOM directs and enables military operations and activities with allies and partners to increase regional security and stability in support of enduring U.S. interests. Faced with attacks such as the 1996 bombing of the Khobar Towers, which killed 19 American airmen, the command launched Operation Desert Focus, designed to relocate U.S. installations to more defensible locations (such as Prince Sultan Air Base), reduce the U.S. forward "footprint" by eliminating nonessential billets, and return dependents to the United States. On Oct. 17, 2014, the Department of Defense formally established Combined Joint Task Force - Operation Inherent Resolve (CJTF-OIR) in order to formalize ongoing military actions against the rising threat posed by the Islamic State of Iraq & Syria (ISIS). Coalition forces have defeated insurgent counterattacks, reclaimed thousands of square kilometers of land and significantly weakened the ISIS terror infrastructure in Iraq and Syria. The new USCENTCOM Commander-in-Chief, Gen. H. Norman Schwarzkopf, was convinced that the changing international climate made this scenario far less likely. A list and short description of each Component Command is provided below: NAVCENT also serves as the command element for the Combined Maritime Forces, which is composed of naval forces from about 30 nations that are responsible for combating terrorism, piracy, illegal drug trafficking, and freedom of navigation and commerce in the region. On Sept. 11, 2001, al-Qaida one of those extremist groups launched attacks in the United States that killed 3,000 people in New York, at the Pentagon and aboard a passenger jet that crashed into a field in Pennsylvania. In 1983, the Tampa, Florida-based military command was formed amidst a low-grade maritime war with Iran the Tanker War, part of the broader, grueling Iran-Iraq War. By Ninth Air Force (Air Forces Central) Ninth Air Force (Air Forces Central) SHAW AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. --. Overcoming skeptical perceptions that the command was still an RDJTF in all but name, designed to support a Cold War strategy, took time. Army.[7][8]. This task force included aviators from the 160th SOAR (A) and Special Tactics personnel from AFSOC. CENTCOM directs four "service component commands" and one subordinate unified command: *USCG Command that augments NAVCENT in the CENTCOM AOR, *Assigned to Air Combat Command as the 432nd Wing, but acts as 432nd Air Expeditionary Wing when operating in the CENTCOM AOR, Two major subordinate multi-service commands reporting to Central Command were responsible for Afghanistan: Combined Joint Task Force 180 and Combined Forces Command Afghanistan (CFC-A). It is responsible for planning special operations throughout the USCENTCOM area of responsibility (AOR), planning and conducting peacetime joint/combined special operations training exercises, and orchestrating command and control of peacetime and wartime special operations as . Mattis served as the 26th U.S. Secretary of Defense. He served as a Team Member, Team Sergeant, Troop Sergeant Major, Operations Sergeant Major, Operator Training Course Sergeant Major, Squadron Command Sergeant Major and Unit Command Sergeant Major. SOCCENT's mission at its inception stated "When directed . The primary coalition objective, the liberation of Kuwait, was achieved on Feb. 27, and the next morning a cease-fire was declared, just 100 hours after the commencement of the ground campaign. Soon afterward, as part of what became known as the "Tanker War", the Federal government of the United States reflagged and renamed 11 Kuwaiti oil tankers. Soldiers from Company B, 2nd Battalion, 325th Airborne Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division, watch an Iraqi paramilitary unit's headquarters at Samawa, Iraq, burn during an assault on the city's north side, April 4, 2003. The end of formal hostilities did not bring the end of difficulties with Iraq. Special Operations Command History, 6th Edition, p.92, U.S. Special Operations Command History, 6th Edition, 31 March 2008, p.121, Special Operations Command History, p.127, see the top of the page for the two logos and their motto usage, SOCCENT Warrior Leading the Fight in the Hot Spots: Iraq, Afghanistan and the Horn of Africa, "War on Terrorism: Medical Assistance Mission Brings Relief to Afghan Villagers", https://fas.org/irp/agency/dod/socom/sof-ref-2-1/SOFREF_Ch2.htm, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special_Operations_Command_Central&oldid=1105528767, Provide fully capable Special Operations Forces to defend the United States and its interests and plan and synchronize operations against terrorist networks, This page was last edited on 20 August 2022, at 17:35. The new commander of U.S. Central Command Marine Corps Gen. Kenneth F. McKenzieJr. must continue operations in Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria. ISAF transitions to NATO's Resolute Support mission. GEOGRAPHIC COMBATANT COMMANDS. The unit awards depicted below are for Headquarters, US Special Operations Command Central at MacDill AFB. In September 2011, he became the Command Sergeant Major of the Joint Special Operations Command. U.S. Central Command Chief Technology Officer Schuyler Moore and Innovation Oasis Winner Sgt. Currently he serves as the Command Senior Enlisted Leader, U.S. Central Command, MacDill AFB, FL. In Operation Earnest Will, these tankers were escorted by USCENTCOM's Middle East Force through the Persian Gulf to Kuwait and back through the Strait of Hormuz. My previous experience shaped my approach to developing CENTCOM's CCP. International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan. When the hostage crisis in Iran and the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan underlined the need to strengthen U.S. interests in the region, President Jimmy Carter established the Rapid Deployment Joint Task Force (RDJTF) in March 1980. On 17 January 1991, U.S. and coalition forces launched Operation Desert Storm with a massive air interdiction campaign, which prepared the theater for a coalition ground assault. Operation Provide Comfort, implemented to provide humanitarian assistance to the Kurds and enforce a "no-fly" zone in Iraq north of the 36th parallel, began in April 1991. Afghan opposition leaders attending the conference began the process of reconstructing their country by setting up a new government structure, namely the Afghan Transitional Authority. A small . It was issued in November 2007, and required using the Request for Forces method via then-U.S. Joint Forces Command to supply any required forces. U.S. Central Command is one of the busiest combatant commands in the U.S. military. As CENTCOMs commander, McKenzie oversaw several high-profile military missions, including the U.S. special operations to kill ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi,in October 2019 and his successor, Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurayshi, in February of this year. The Special Operations Command Central (SOCCENT) is a sub-unified command of the U.S. Central Command (USCENTCOM). US Central Command (USCENTCOM or CENTCOM) is headquartered at MacDill Air Force Base, Florida and one of seven geographical combatant commands of the United States.. Central Command: Mission and Command Priorities Central Command: Area of Responsibility and Posture Statement DoD 2021 Release: Statement on Unified Command Plan Change (AOR for Israel) Use this page to find selected resources on . 1914), Do your children view themselves as successes or failures? On January 1, 1983, CENTCOM was organized by President Ronald Reagan to support U.S. interests in the Middle East. I can think of no one better qualified to writeCENTCOMs next chapter than Erik Kurilla, McKenzie said Friday. The unit awards depicted below are for Headquarters, U.S. Central Command at MacDill AFB. Coming January 17th on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Podbean, and Spotify: CENTCAST, the official podcast of US Central Command. Soldiers assigned to Train Advise Assist Command East during his visit in Jalalabad, Afghanistan, Sept. 9, 2019. CENTCOMs story is one big personalities, valorous actions by American troops in combats critical moments, high stakes stand-offs at sea, and the adjudication of a war on a vile ideology. Updates? attacking, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) let the terrorists gather to present a larger target. As I neared the end of my previous assignment as the Director of the Joint Staff, there was only one job left that really interested meand this is it., For the past 21 years,CENTCOMhas been the only combatant command in close and enduring contact with Americas enemies, McKenzie added. CENTCOM forces have also been deployed in Jordan, and Saudi Arabia in the past, and although there is a small presence remaining in each of those countries, no substantial U.S. forces are based there as of 2014 . ISAF was created in accordance with the Bonn Conference in December 2001. In the 1980s, the command faced operations in Lebanon, the Iran-Iraq War and the mining of the Persian Gulf. The Commander, U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Central Command (COMUSMARCENT), is designated as the Marine Corps service component commander for Commander, U.S. Central Command (COMUSCENTCOM). A U.S. general (Dan K. McNeill) assumed command of ISAF that same month. April 01, 2022 Ryan Morgan. [11], In autumn 1989, the main CENTCOM contingency plan, OPLAN 1002-88, assumed a Soviet attack through Iran to the Persian Gulf. From April to July 1999, CENTCOM conducted Exercise Desert Crossing 1999, centered on the scenario of Saddam Hussein being ousted as Iraq's dictator. [2] It is responsible for planning special operations throughout the USCENTCOM area of responsibility (AOR), planning and conducting peacetime joint/combined special operations training exercises, and orchestrating command and control of peacetime and wartime special operations as directed. The 1990s also brought significant challenges in the east African nation of Somalia and from the growing threat of regional terrorism. Commander, U.S. Indo-Pacific Command (2018-Present) Admiral John C. Aquilino, USN Speeches: |2021 | 2023: April 30, 2021: Present: McKenzies retirement ceremony is a prelude to a CENTCOM change of command ceremony that will take place later in the day at the commands headquarters at MacDill Air Force Base. Fueled by sectarian conflicts and division, ISIS ascended from relative obscurity in 2013 to propagate an extremist socio-political ideology, and claimed to have created an Islamic caliphate. The intelligence section is known as Joint Intelligence Center, Central Command, or JICCENT, which serves as a Joint Intelligence Center for the co-ordination of intelligence. Privacy & Security Inspector General FOIA Privacy Act, An official website of the United States government. In 1998, terrorists attacked the U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania, killing 250 people, including 12 Americans. As the Marine Corps component for CENTCOM, MARCENT is responsible for all Marine Corps forces in the CENTCOM area of responsibility. Naval Forces Central Command (NAVCENT): NAVCENT has its headquarters in Manama, Bahrain, the home of the U.S. Fifth Fleet. Its successful acquisition of conventional weapons, establishment of armed formations, rapid territorial growth and unconscionable atrocities shocked the world and destabilized the region. The present U.S. Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM) includes areas originally assigned to two other unified commanders. Jan. 1, 2015, the ISAF era came to an end when the command transitioned to NATO's Resolute Support mission. [29] CF-J's stated purpose was to work with the Jordanian armed forces to improve the latter's capabilities. The U.S. Indo-Pacific Command was established as a unified command on January 1, 1947, and it is the oldest and largest of the United States' unified commands. SOCCENT FWD (formerly known as Combined Forces Special Operations Component Command) is located at Al Udeid in Qatar. CJSOTF-N/Task Force Viking was deactivated, and CJSOTF-W was re-designated CJSOTF-Arabian Peninsula (CJSOTFAP), having moved to Baghdad in April. Officers, seamen, gunners, marines, The crews of the gig and yawl, The bearded man and the lad in his teens, Are they afraid to challenge authority and to question assumptions? He served in this position until October 2014 at which time he became the Command Senior Enlisted Leader of U.S. Special Operations Command, MacDill AFB, FL. In 1986, CSM Thetford served with the Mountain Ranger Camp as a Mountaineering Instructor and Platoon Small Group Leader. [27] From that point onward, the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) directed most U.S. forces in Afghanistan. Centcom really is a result of the hostage crisis in Iran. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. CFC-A was disestablished in February 2007. Eagle Resolve 23 Exercise with Saudi Arabia May 28, 2023 Statement from General Michael "Erik" Kurilla, Commander of U.S. Central Command, on seizure of a Merchant Vessel in the Gulf of Oman April . He must help share intelligence around the region and ensure all allies and partners are working together to contain ISIS. USCENTCOM Innovation Oasis II Competition. The second iteration of the CENTCOM Innovation Oasis will be held on May 25th, 2023, Stay Tuned! It was held in the offices of Booz Allen Hamilton in McLean, Virginia. U.S. Marine Corps Gen. Kenneth "Frank" McKenzie, who has led the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) for the past three years, is retiring from the military after 42 years in service. Its where every combat arms commander wants to be.. In the four decades since, CENTCOM has served at the knifes edge of war in the Middle East, the Levant region, and Central Asia. The terrorist attacks on American soil on Sept. 11, 2001, led President George W. Bush to declare a war against international terrorism. In 2015, the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria took advantage of the Syrian civil war and disorganization in the Iraqi military and took large swaths of both countries. CSM Thetford holds a Bachelors of Science in Social Science from Campbell University and a Masters of Corporate Security from Webster University. It was designed to be a permanent replacement for the Rapid Deployment Joint Task Force, a versatile but less regionally specific organization established by President Jimmy Carter to combat Soviet aggression. INSCOM is designated by the Secretary of the Army as a Direct Reporting Unit (DRU) and reports directly to the Army DCS . Between 2004 and 2014, Kurilla commanded both conventional and special operations forces in Iraq and Afghanistan and served as Commanding General of the 82ndAirborne Division before being brought on as a CENTCOM chief of staff. MARCENT is responsible for all Marine Forces in the CENTCOM Area of Responsibility (AOR) to include those serving at MARCENT, CENTCOM, Special Operations Command (SOCOM), and Special Operations Command . That JTF grew to become U.S. Central Command. BGen Jesus R Hermosa AFP 29 March 1988 - 14 December 1988 BGen Rolando Q Antonio AFP 14 December 1988 - 8 July 1989 BGen Renato V Palma AFP 8 July 1989 - 28 January 1990 MGen Romeo R Zulueta AFP 28 January 1990 . Privacy & Security Inspector General FOIA Privacy Act, An official website of the United States government. It appears that SOCCENT does not direct the secretive Task Force 88, the ad-hoc grouping of Joint Special Operations Command 'black' units such as Delta Force and Army Rangers, which is tasked to pursue the most sensitive high-value targets such as Al Qaeda and the Taliban leadership since 11 September 2001. They came back to the United States in the first days after President Ronald Reagan took office. Are they being encouraged to be inquisitive or passive? The Far East Command, which had been established on January 1 . The current commander of USCENTCOM is General Lloyd J. Austin, USA, who took command from General James Mattis, USMC on 22 March 2013. CommandingCENTCOMhas been, without a doubt, the single greatest honor of my 42-year career, McKenzie said during a retirement ceremony at the Tampa convention centerin Florida on Friday. SOCCENT stood up Joint Special Operations Task Forces (JSOTFs). Since its inception, CENTCOM has been responsible for several operations, including two conflicts between the United States and IraqOperation Desert Storm (1991) and Operation Iraqi Freedom (200311)and the Afghanistan War, which began in 2001. U.S. Special Operations Command Central (SOCCENT): SOCCENT is headquartered at MacDill Air Force Base, Florida and maintains a forward headquarters in Qatar. The . Two of the former U.S. Central Command Commanders would later serve as United States Secretary of Defense: General James Mattis and General Lloyd Austin. A-10s locked and loaded in CENTCOM AOR. In January 1991, the Centcom-led coalition attacked and liberated Kuwait. U.S. Marine Corps Gen. Kenneth F. McKenzie Jr., the commander of U.S. Central Command, speaks to U.S. Dec. 20, 2022 | 3:28 U.S. Central Command was born in war. Hosted by Defense Media Activity - WEB.mil. The alliance became responsible for the command, coordination and planning of the force, including the provision of a force commander and headquarters on the ground in Afghanistan. Iraqi Defense Minister Khaled al-Obeidi with Gen. Lloyd Austin, commander of US . A comparable task force, Task Force K-Bar, deployed to southern Afghanistan. The general is a senior air battle manager with more than 1,380 flying hours. On 7 February 2007, plans were announced for the creation of a United States Africa Command which transferred responsibility for U.S. military operations across Africa to the new USAFRICOM, except for Egypt. By late 1988, the regional strategy still largely focused on the potential threat of a massive Soviet invasion of Iran. As operations approached, CJSOTF-W grew to include Australian and British special forces, Psychological Operations (PSYOP) elements from B Company, 9th PSYOP Battalion, and 301st PSYOP Company, with Civil Affairs augmentation.