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United States Northern Command

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United States Northern Command
United States Northern Command emblem
Emblem of the United States Northern Command.
Active 2002–present
Country United States
Type Unified Combatant Command
Joint activity
Headquarters Peterson AFB, Colorado Springs, Colorado
Nickname(s) NORTHCOM
Commanders
Combatant Commander General Charles H. Jacoby, Jr., USA
Ceremonial chief Lieutenant General Michael Dubie, USAF
Unified Combatant Commands map

NORTHCOM Area Of Responsibility

United States Northern Command (USNORTHCOM)[1] is a Unified Combatant Command of the U.S. military tasked with providing military support for civil authorities in the U.S., and protecting the territory and national interest of the United States within the contiguous United States, Alaska, Canada, Mexico (and the air, land and sea approaches to these areas).

USNORTHCOM was created on April 25, 2002 when President George W. Bush approved a new Unified Command Plan, following the September 11 Attacks. USNORTHCOM went operational on October 1, 2002.

The support that USNORTHCOM provides to civil authorities is legally limited by the Posse Comitatus Act, which sets some limits on the role of the U.S. military in civilian law enforcement. However, in case of national emergency, natural or man-made, its Air Forces Northern National Security Emergency Preparedness Directorate will take charge of the situation or event.[2]

Creation[]

USNORTHCOM was established on April 25, 2002 when President George W. Bush approved a new Unified Command Plan,[3][4] and attained initial operating capability on October 1, 2002.[5]

Mission[]

According to the UCP, Northern Command's mission is to:[6]

  • Conduct operations to deter, prevent, and defeat threats and aggression aimed at the United States, its territories, and interests within the assigned area of responsibility and,
  • As directed by the President or Secretary of Defense provide military assistance to civil authorities including consequence management operations

Area of responsibility[]

USNORTHCOM’s Area of Responsibility (AOR) includes air, land and sea approaches and encompasses the contiguous United States, Alaska, Canada, Mexico and the surrounding water out to approximately 500 nautical miles (930 km). It also includes the Gulf of Mexico, the Straits of Florida, portions of the Caribbean region to include The Bahamas, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The commander of USNORTHCOM is responsible for theater security cooperation with Canada, Mexico, and The Bahamas.[7] NORTHCOM was recently mobilized in the wake of the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico[8] to provide air, ground, and logistical support.[9]

Organizational structure[]

Headquarters[]

Commander, U.S. Northern Command is concurrently Commander of the U.S.-Canadian North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD). The two are co-located at Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado Springs, Colorado.[10] General Ralph Eberhart was the first CDRUSNORTHCOM.[11] USNORTHCOM headquarters has approximately 1,200 uniformed and civilian members, and few permanent forces. Forces from all branches of the U.S. military may be assigned to the Command as needed to complete its mission.[12]

Task forces[]

USNORTHCOM is composed of several standing Joint Task Forces (JTFs) previously assigned to United States Joint Forces Command (USJFCOM): Joint Force Headquarters National Capital Region, Joint Task Force-Civil Support, Joint Task Force Alaska, and Joint Task Force North. USNORTHCOM service components include U.S. Fifth Army/ARNORTH, First Air Force/AFNORTH, and United States Fleet Forces Command.

Between 1 October 2002 and 2007, Northern Command deactivated Joint Force Headquarters Homeland Security and activated Joint Force Headquarters National Capital Region and Standing Joint Force Headquarters North.[13] On 31 December 2012, Special Operations Command-North was activated, and will be led by a general instead of a colonel.[14]

List of commanders[]

Note: The National Defense Authorization Act of 2008 stipulates that at least one deputy commander of USNORTHCOM be a National Guard general officer unless the commander is already such an officer.[15][16]

Image Name Branch Term began Term ended
1. Eberhart re General Ralph E. Eberhart USAF 22 October 2002 5 November 2004
2. US Navy 041105-D-0000X-001 Adm. Timothy J. Keating Admiral Timothy J. Keating USN 5 November 2004 23 March 2007
3. Victor E. Renuart Jr. 2010 General Victor E. Renuart Jr. USAF 23 March 2007 19 May 2010
4. Winnefeld 2010 2 Admiral James A. Winnefeld, Jr. USN 19 May 2010 3 August 2011
5. Jacoby 2013 General Charles H. Jacoby, Jr. USA 3 August 2011 5 December 2014
6. Gortney2014 Admiral William E. Gortney USN 5 December 2014 Incumbent

Planning and strategy[]

Northern Command has created several classified "concept plans" (e.g. "Defense Support of Civil Authorities") that are intended to address the 15 National Planning Scenarios that NORTHCOM must be prepared to respond to.[17]

However the GAO found that the national strategy to defend the United States is several years out of date.[18]

Domestic operations and training[]

NORTHCOM operates extensive domestic intelligence operations which both share and receive information from local, state and federal law enforcement agencies. Employees of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Central Intelligence Agency, National Security Agency, Defense Intelligence Agency, National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, and other agencies maintain offices at NORTHCOM and receive daily intelligence briefings.[19]

Northern Command has completed several joint training exercises with local, state and federal law enforcement agencies, the Department of Homeland Security, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).[20]

In Exercise Vigilant Shield 2008, Northern Command, Pacific Command, the Department of Homeland Security, and numerous law enforcement agencies across the U.S. conducted exercises to test their "response abilities against a variety of potential threats".[20]

Related legislation[]

The Military Commissions Act of 2006 lifted many restrictions placed on the military to support civilian administration by the Posse Comitatus Act, however the US Supreme Court ruled in June 2008 that significant portions of the MCA were unconstitutional. The "John Warner Defense Authorization Act of 2007" H.R. 5122 (2006) effectively nullified the limits of the Insurrection Act[21] when it was passed; however, the bill was amended in 2008.

On 1 Oct. 2008, the 3rd Infantry Division (United States)’s 1st Brigade Combat Team was assigned to U.S. Northern Command, marking the first time an active unit had been given a dedicated assignment to Northern Command. The force will be known for the first year as a CBRNE Consequence Management Response Force, and will serve as an on-call federal response force for terrorist attacks and other natural or manmade emergencies and disasters. .[22]

See also[]

References[]

  1. ↑ Informally known simply as "NORTHCOM" or "Northern Command")
  2. ↑ 1AF (AFNORTH) National Security Emergency Preparedness (NSEP) Directorate
  3. ↑ Whitley, Joe D. et al., ed (2009). "Unified Combatant Commands and USNORTHCOM". Homeland security: legal and policy issues. American Bar Association. ISBN 978-1-60442-462-1. http://books.google.com/books?id=bJI54yr1ymQC&pg=PA44. 
  4. ↑ Bolkcom, Christopher et al. (2005). "Homeland Security: Establishment and Implementation of Northern Command". In Thaler, William M. & Bea, Keith. Emerging issues in homeland security. Nova Publishers. p. 107. ISBN 978-1-59454-139-1. http://books.google.com/books?id=Gop_tJNrPpsC&pg=PA107. 
  5. ↑ Cecchine, Gary, ed (2004). Triage for civil support: using military medical assets to respond to terrorist attacks. RAND Corporation. p. 25. ISBN 978-0-8330-3661-2. http://books.google.com/books?id=i-7xxfTXOwsC&pg=PA25. 
  6. ↑ National Research Council (U.S.). Committee on Army Science and Technology for Homeland Defense--C4ISR (2004). Army science and technology for homeland security. National Academies Press. p. 73[verification needed]. ISBN 978-0-309-09164-0. http://books.google.com/books?id=XmJr6FULbtUC&pg=PT73. 
  7. ↑ U.S. Northern Command Public Affairs (22 October 2009). "About USNORTHCOM". USNORTHCOM website. Peterson Air Force Base, CO: U.S. Northern Command. http://www.northcom.mil/About/index.html. Retrieved 28 July 2010. 
  8. ↑ "USNORTHCOM responds to Deepwater Horizon oil spill". Northcom.mil. http://www.northcom.mil/news/2010/050510.html. Retrieved 19 May 2011. 
  9. ↑ "Deepwater Horizon airspace activity now coordinated at 601st AOC". Northcom.mil. 13 July 2010. http://www.northcom.mil/news/2010/071310.html. Retrieved 19 May 2011. 
  10. ↑ Cutler, Thomas (2011). Navcivguide. Naval Institute Press. p. 59. ISBN 978-1-61251-019-4. http://books.google.com/books?id=lTc4TxT5YBAC&pg=PT59. 
  11. ↑ "U.S. Northern Command History". http://www.northcom.mil/About/history_education/history.html. Retrieved 11 February 2013. 
  12. ↑ "U.S. Northern Command". http://www.northcom.mil/About/index.html. Retrieved 11 February 2013. 
  13. ↑ United States Northern Command, Advance Questions for Lieutenant General Victor E. Renuart, USAF, Nominee for Commander, U.S. Northern Command (USNORTHCOM) and Commander, NORAD, pre-confirmation hearing on Monday, March 19, 2007. See also http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/executive_calendar/2007/03_19_2007.pdf.
  14. ↑ Kimberly Dozier (17 January 2013). "U.S. boosts spec ops to train Mexican forces". http://www.armytimes.com/mobile/news/2013/01/ap-america-boosts-special-operations-train-mexican-forces-011713. Retrieved 19 January 2013. 
  15. ↑ [1] Pub.L. 110-181: National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008
  16. ↑ [2] Pub.L. 110-181: National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 full text
  17. ↑ Wormuth, Christine E. & Witkowsky, Anne (2008). Managing the next domestic catastrophe: ready (or not)? : a beyond Goldwater-Nichols phase 4 report. CSIS. p. 47. ISBN 978-0-89206-534-9. http://books.google.com/books?id=ePiOA2-4qz0C&pg=PA47. 
  18. ↑ "DOD Needs to Address Gaps in Homeland Defense and Civil Support Guidance GAO-13-128, Oct 24, 2012."
  19. ↑ Miller, Russell A. (2008). US national security, intelligence and democracy: from the Church Committee to the War on Terror. Taylor & Francis. p. 172. ISBN 978-0-415-44646-4. http://books.google.com/books?id=jhzvd391spIC&pg=PA172. 
  20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 Head, Michael & Mann, Scott (2009). Domestic deployment of the armed forces: military powers, law and human rights. Ashgate Publishing. p. 60. ISBN 978-0-7546-7346-0. http://books.google.com/books?id=OcaQ341m4PEC&pg=PA60. 
  21. ↑ "Bush Moves Towards Martial Law, 26 October 2006". Towardfreedom.com. 26 October 2006. http://www.towardfreedom.com/home/content/view/911/. Retrieved 19 May 2011. 
  22. ↑ "Brigade homeland tours start Oct. 1 – Army News , News from Afghanistan & Iraq". Army Times. 30 September 2008. http://www.armytimes.com/news/2008/09/army_homeland_090708w/. Retrieved 19 May 2011. 

Further reading[]

External links[]

Regional responsibilities
Functional responsibilities
Inactivated


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