Global InformationUnited States Central Command information
| United States Central Command (CENTCOM) | |
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 Emblem of the United States Central Command | |
| Founded | January 1, 1983 (41 years, 4 months ago) |
| Country |  United States |
| Type | Unified combatant command |
| Role | Geographic combatant command |
| Part of | United States Department of Defense |
| Headquarters | MacDill Air Force Base Florida, U.S. |
| Motto(s) | Persistent Excellence[1] |
| Engagements | Persian Gulf War Iraq War War in Afghanistan Operation Inherent Resolve |
| Website | www.centcom.mil |
| Commanders | |
| Commander | General Michael E. Kurilla, USA[2] |
| Deputy Commander | Vice Admiral Charles B. Cooper II, USN[3] |
| Senior Enlisted Leader | Fleet Master Chief Derrick A. Walters, USN[4] |
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The United States Central Command (USCENTCOM or CENTCOM) is one of the eleven unified combatant commands of the U.S. Department of Defense. It was established in 1983, taking over the previous responsibilities of the Rapid Deployment Joint Task Force (RDJTF).
Its Area of Responsibility (AOR) includes the Middle East (including Egypt in Africa), Central Asia and parts of South Asia. The command has been the main American presence in many military operations, including the Persian Gulf War's Operation Desert Storm in 1991, the War in Afghanistan, as well as the Iraq War from 2003 to 2011. As of 2015[update], CENTCOM forces were deployed primarily in Afghanistan under the auspices of Operation Freedom's Sentinel, which was itself part of NATO's Resolute Support Mission (from 2015 to 2021), and in Iraq and Syria as part of Operation Inherent Resolve since 2014 in supporting and advise-and-assist roles.
As of 1 April 2022[update], CENTCOM's commander is General Michael E. Kurilla, U.S. Army.[7][8] Two of the last three United States Secretaries of Defense -- incumbent Lloyd Austin and James Mattis, both of whom required congressional waivers to be confirmed -- were recent CENTCOM commanders.[9]
Of all seven American regional unified combatant commands, CENTCOM is among four that are headquartered outside their area of operations (the other three being USAFRICOM, USSOUTHCOM, and USSPACECOM). CENTCOM's main headquarters is located at MacDill Air Force Base, in Tampa, Florida. A forward headquarters was established in 2002 at Camp As Sayliyah in Doha, Qatar, which in 2009 transitioned to a forward headquarters at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar.
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.[10]
- ^ "COMMAND NARRATIVE". www.centcom.mil.
- ^ "Commander, General Michael E. Kurilla". U.S. Central Command. Retrieved 30 April 2023.
- ^ "Deputy Commander, Vice Admiral Brad Cooper". U.S. Central Command. Retrieved 13 February 2024.
- ^ "Senior Enlisted Leader, Fleet Master Chief Derrick "Wally" Walters". U.S. Central Command. Retrieved 30 April 2023.
- ^ FM 1-02 Operational Terms and Graphics (PDF). US Army. 21 September 2004. pp. 5–37.
- ^ ADP 1-02 Terms and Military Symbols (PDF). US Army. 14 August 2018. pp. 4–8.
- ^ Andrew Eversden (6 Jan 2022) Biden expected to name 18th Airborne Corps commander to CENTCOM
- ^ "Webcast: CENTCOM Welcomes New Commander". DVIDS. 1 April 2022.
- ^ "Several Senate Armed Services members oppose Austin waiver". Roll Call. 12 January 2021. Retrieved 13 August 2023.
- ^ "AOR | U.S. Army Central". www.usarcent.army.mil.