Editor’s Note: This article was first published in 2017 by SOF News . . . it has been updated to reflect the changes over the past decade. In addition, a recent story (Dec 15, 2025 – subscription) in The Washington Post about the consolidation of combatant commands has sparked discussion on the combatant commands.
The Department of Defense has divided the world up into regional areas of responsibility – each region designated as a combatant command. These regions are provided command and control organizations and led by four-star general (or admirals) officers.
The Combatant Commands are:
United States Africa Command (AFRICOM)
United States Central Command (CENTCOM)
United States European Command (EUCOM)
United States Northern Command (NORTHCOM)
United States Indo-Pacific Command (INDOPACOM)
United States Southern Command (SOUTHCOM)
Additional Joint Commands include:
United States Cyber Command (CYBERCOM)
United States Special Operations Command (SOCOM)
United States Space Command (SPACECOM)
United States Strategic Command (STRATCOM)
United States Transportation Command (TRANSCOM)
Image DoD (2025). Click here for a larger view of the above image.
Special Operations Sub-Commands:
Each of the combatant commands have sub-commands to include theater special operations commands called Theater Special Operations Commands (TSOCs) – SOCAFRICA, SOCCENT, SOCEUR, SOCNORTH, SOCPAC, and SOCSOUTH. Should one of the Combatant Commands merge – for instance EUCOM and AFRICOM, then there is a possibility that a Combatant Command will control two TSOCs.
Previous Combatant Command Areas of Responsibility (AOR)
The image below is a map of the world that depicts previous commander’s areas of responsibility. It is published by the United States National Imagery and Mapping Agency (2000) and based on the Unified Command Plan 1999. Click here for larger view online.
Changes Over the Past Several Decades
Some key changes were made to the unified command structure dating from the 1990s. Four new unified combatant commands were established: NORTHCOM, CYBERCOM, SPACECOM, and AFRICOM. Cyber Command was formerly a sub-unified command. Space Command was reestablished in 2019. Joint Forces Command (JFCOM) was disestablished in 2011; as was SOCJFCOM. Pacific Command was renamed Indo-Pacific Command in 2018. Greenland was shifted from European Command to Northern Command in 2025.
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Source: Combatant Commands, U.S. Department of Defense.
Top image: DoD
This article was first published on January 3, 2017 and has been updated as of December 2025.
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