UNIFIED COMBATANT COMMANDERS
__Each combatant command is headed by
a four-star general or admiral recommended by the Secretary of Defense,
nominated by the President, confirmed by Congress and appointed by the
President. The Goldwater-Nichols Act and its subsequent implementation legislation
also resulted in specific Joint Professional Military Education (JPME)
requirements for officers before they could attain flag or general officer rank
thereby preparing them for duty in Joint assignments such as UCC staff or Joint
Chiefs of Staff assignments, which are strictly controlled tour length
rotations of duty. However, in the decades following enactment of
Goldwater-Nichols, these JPME requirements have yet to come to overall
fruition. This is particularly true in the case of senior naval officers, where
sea duty/shore duty rotations and the culture of the naval service has often
discounted PME and JPME as a measure of professional development for success.
Although slowly changing, the JPME requirement still continues to be frequently
waived in the case of senior admirals nominated for these positions.
The operational chain of command runs from the President to the Secretary of Defense to the combatant commanders of the Combatant Commands. The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff may transmit communications to the Commanders of the Combatant Commands from the President and Secretary of Defense and advises both on potential courses of action, but the Chairman does not exercise military command over any combatant forces. Under Goldwater-Nichols, the service chiefs (also four stars in rank) are charged with the responsibility of the "strategic direction, unified operation of combatant commands, and the integration of all land, naval, and air forces in an efficient "unified combatant command" force. Furthermore, the Secretaries of the Military Departments (i.e. Secretary of the Army, Secretary of the Navy, and the Secretary of the Air Force) are legally responsible to "organize, train and equip" combatant forces and, as directed by the Secretary of Defense, assign their forces for use by the combatant commands. The Secretaries of the Military Departments also do not exercise any operational control over their forces.
Each combatant command can be led by a general or flag officer from any of the military services. Most commands have traditional service affiliations, but in recent years, non-traditional appointments have become more common. EUCOM was traditionally an Army command with USAF generals on occasion, but was held by a Marine from 2003 through 2006. CENTCOM was traditionally an Army and Marine command but William J. Fallon, commander from 2007 through 2008, was a Navy admiral. PACOM has always been commanded by a Navy admiral due to the wide expanse of ocean, although Air Force generals have been nominated for the post. U.S. Atlantic Command (USACOM) was also a traditional Navy assignment until it was successively commanded by Marine, Army, and Air Force generals, thereby becoming the first to have had commanders from all four services (USACOM was redesignated as JFCOM in 1999). CENTCOM and SOUTHCOM were traditionally Army general positions until the Marines received their first CinC assignments. This led the way for General Pace to become the first Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and ultimately Chairman from the Marine Corps. CCDRs are strong candidates for either position
The current CCDRs are:
United States Africa Command (USAFRICOM or AFRICOM)
Combatant Commander:: General Carter F. Ham, USA
Deputy for Military Operations:: Vice Admiral Charles Leidig, USN
Deputy for Civil-Military Activities:: Ambassador J. Anthony Holmes
United States Central Command (USCENTCOM)
Combatant Commander:: General James Mattis, USMC
United States European Command (EUCOM)
Combatant Commander:: Admiral James G. Stavridis, USN
Deputy Commander:: LTG John D. Gardner, USA
United States Northern Command (USNORTHCOM, or NORTHCOM)
Combatant Commander:: General Charles H. Jacoby, Jr., USA
Deputy Commander:: Lieutenant General Frank J. Grass, USA
United States Pacific Command (USPACOM)
Combatant Commander:: Admiral Robert F. Willard, USN
Deputy Commander:: Lieutenant General Daniel J. Darnell, USAF
United States Southern Command (USSOUTHCOM)
Combatant Commander:: General Douglas M. Fraser, USAF
Military Deputy Commander:: Vice Admiral Joseph D. Kernan, USN
United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM)
Combatant Commander:: Admiral William H. McRaven
United States Strategic Command (USSTRATCOM)
Combatant Commander:: General C. Robert Kehler, USAF
United States Transportation Command (USTRANSCOM)
Combatant Commander:: General William M. Fraser III, USAF
The operational chain of command runs from the President to the Secretary of Defense to the combatant commanders of the Combatant Commands. The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff may transmit communications to the Commanders of the Combatant Commands from the President and Secretary of Defense and advises both on potential courses of action, but the Chairman does not exercise military command over any combatant forces. Under Goldwater-Nichols, the service chiefs (also four stars in rank) are charged with the responsibility of the "strategic direction, unified operation of combatant commands, and the integration of all land, naval, and air forces in an efficient "unified combatant command" force. Furthermore, the Secretaries of the Military Departments (i.e. Secretary of the Army, Secretary of the Navy, and the Secretary of the Air Force) are legally responsible to "organize, train and equip" combatant forces and, as directed by the Secretary of Defense, assign their forces for use by the combatant commands. The Secretaries of the Military Departments also do not exercise any operational control over their forces.
Each combatant command can be led by a general or flag officer from any of the military services. Most commands have traditional service affiliations, but in recent years, non-traditional appointments have become more common. EUCOM was traditionally an Army command with USAF generals on occasion, but was held by a Marine from 2003 through 2006. CENTCOM was traditionally an Army and Marine command but William J. Fallon, commander from 2007 through 2008, was a Navy admiral. PACOM has always been commanded by a Navy admiral due to the wide expanse of ocean, although Air Force generals have been nominated for the post. U.S. Atlantic Command (USACOM) was also a traditional Navy assignment until it was successively commanded by Marine, Army, and Air Force generals, thereby becoming the first to have had commanders from all four services (USACOM was redesignated as JFCOM in 1999). CENTCOM and SOUTHCOM were traditionally Army general positions until the Marines received their first CinC assignments. This led the way for General Pace to become the first Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and ultimately Chairman from the Marine Corps. CCDRs are strong candidates for either position
The current CCDRs are:
United States Africa Command (USAFRICOM or AFRICOM)
Combatant Commander:: General Carter F. Ham, USA
Deputy for Military Operations:: Vice Admiral Charles Leidig, USN
Deputy for Civil-Military Activities:: Ambassador J. Anthony Holmes
United States Central Command (USCENTCOM)
Combatant Commander:: General James Mattis, USMC
United States European Command (EUCOM)
Combatant Commander:: Admiral James G. Stavridis, USN
Deputy Commander:: LTG John D. Gardner, USA
United States Northern Command (USNORTHCOM, or NORTHCOM)
Combatant Commander:: General Charles H. Jacoby, Jr., USA
Deputy Commander:: Lieutenant General Frank J. Grass, USA
United States Pacific Command (USPACOM)
Combatant Commander:: Admiral Robert F. Willard, USN
Deputy Commander:: Lieutenant General Daniel J. Darnell, USAF
United States Southern Command (USSOUTHCOM)
Combatant Commander:: General Douglas M. Fraser, USAF
Military Deputy Commander:: Vice Admiral Joseph D. Kernan, USN
United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM)
Combatant Commander:: Admiral William H. McRaven
United States Strategic Command (USSTRATCOM)
Combatant Commander:: General C. Robert Kehler, USAF
United States Transportation Command (USTRANSCOM)
Combatant Commander:: General William M. Fraser III, USAF