CENTCOM
Unified Combatant Commandmilitary
| CENTCOM link () | |
|---|---|
 Emblem of the United States Central Command. | |
| Predecessor | Rapid Deployment Joint Task Force |
| Formation | 1983 |
| Headquarters | MacDill Air Force Base, Tampa, Florida, U.S. |
| Leader | Commander of United States Central Command |
| Type | military |
| Subgroups | JICCENT, USARCENT, USAFCENT, USMARCENT, USNAVCENT, USSOCCENT, Combined Joint Task Force 180, Central Command Forward - Jordan |
| Interests | Middle East,Central Asia,Afghanistan, Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan,Yemen,Israel |
| Other name | CENTCOM |
The United States Central Command (USCENTCOM or CENTCOM) is one of the eleven unified combatant commands of the US Department of Defense. It was established in 1983, taking over the previous responsibilities of the Rapid Deployment Joint Task Force (RDJTF).
ARCENT
US Army Central (ARCENT) is the Army component under CENTCOM and is headquartered at Shaw Air Force Base in South Carolina.
"Area of Responsibility"
In 2021, Israel was transferred from U.S. European Command (the only non-European nation ever in that category) to CENTCOM earlier this year, there are now twenty-one nations covered by it. The others are Afghanistan, Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, thr United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan and Yemen.
CMCC
On 17 October 2025, CENTCOM opened a Civil-Military Coordination Center (CMCC) in Israel to oversee the progress of the ceasefire agreement, brokered by Donald Trump between Hamas and Israel, and also help coordinate humanitarian assistance to Gaza.[1] The CMCC was established with approximately 200 US service members experienced in transportation, planning, security, logistics, and engineering under the leadership of Lt. Gen. Patrick Frank, commander of US Army Central (ARCENT).[2] A British 2-star General will work as deputy to Gen. Frank, US commander of the CMCC.[3]
Media outreach
- Full article: CENTCOM/Media outreach
- Full article: CENTCOM/Media outreach
State Department Liaison
Jay Freres was a State Department liaison for U.S. Central Command at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa from 2002 to 2007.[4]
Changed Priorities in 2021
For twenty years CENTCOM has waged the bulk of military operations under the rubric of what Washington formerly named the War on Terror, including wars in and strikes against Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan, Syria and Yemen.
In April 2021, General Kenneth McKenzie testified before the Senate Armed Services Committee[5] on how he prioritized his command’s concerns: He identified “the four global challenges that manifest across the USCENTCOM AOR [area of responsibility]: China, Russia, Iran, and Violent Extremist Organizations (VEOs).” The last term is a replacement for what until recently would have been deemed terrorist organizations. The raison d’être of CENTCOM had now become its last priority. He also accused China of harboring plans to establish a military presence in the region.[6]
References
- ↑ "US to send 200 troops to Israel to monitor Gaza ceasefire"
- ↑ "CENTCOM Opens Civil-Military Coordination Center to Support Gaza Stabilization"
- ↑ "British troops deployed to Israel to 'monitor Gaza ceasefire' after US request"
- ↑ http://www.tampabay.com/news/publicsafety/authorities-report-one-man-dead-after-being-struck-by-lightning-in-largo/2234353
- ↑ https://www.armed-services.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/McKenzie%20Testimony%2004.22.211.pdf
- ↑ https://libya360.wordpress.com/2021/04/24/u-s-central-command-downgrades-former-war-on-terrorism-to-confront-china-russia-and-iran/