United States Northern Command
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United States Northern Command (USNORTHCOM, or informally just NORTHCOM) is a Unified Combatant Command of the United States Military.
Created in 2002 in the aftermath of the September 11th attacks, its mission is to protect the United States homeland, and support local, state, and federal authorities. The support that USNORTHCOM provides to civil authorities is limited by the Posse Comitatus Act which limits the role of the US military in civil law enforcement.
USNORTHCOM is responsible for U.S. military operations in the United States, Mexico, Canada, and the northern Caribbean (including Cuba and Puerto Rico, but not Haiti and the Dominican Republic). Alaska, however, is shared jointly between NORTHCOM and the United States Pacific Command (USPACOM). Hawaii is solely under the jurisdiction of USPACOM.
USNORTHCOM is composed of several standing Joint Task Forces (JTFs) previously assigned to JFCOM. Joint Force Headquarters National Capital Region, Joint Task Force-Civil Support, Joint Task Force Alaska, and Joint Task Force North. USNORTHCOM service components include ARNORTH, AFNORTH, MARFORNORTH, and Fleet Forces Command.
USNORTHCOM headquarters has approximately 1,200 uniformed and civilian members, and few permament forces. Forces from all branches of the U.S. military may be assigned to the Command as needed to complete its mission.
Commander, U.S. Northern Command is concurrently Commander of the U.S.-Canadian North American Air Defense Command (NORAD). The two are co-located at Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado Springs, Colorado. General Ralph Eberhart was the first CDRUSNORTHCOM, succeeded by Admiral Timothy J. Keating.
External links
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| Regional responsibilities | |
| US Northern Command - US Central Command - US European Command - US Pacific Command - US Southern Command | |
| Functional responsibilities | |
| US Special Operations Command - US Joint Forces Command - US Strategic Command - US Transportation Command | |
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