United States Northern Command | |
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Founded | 1 October 2002 (21 years, 10 months ago)[1] |
Country | ![]() |
Type | Unified combatant command |
Role | Geographic combatant command |
Part of | United States Department of Defense |
Headquarters | Peterson Space Force Base, Colorado Springs, Colorado, U.S. |
Motto(s) | "We have the watch"[2] |
Decorations | Joint Meritorious Unit Award |
Website | www.northcom.mil |
Commanders | |
Commander | General Gregory M. Guillot, USAF[3] |
Deputy Commander | Lieutenant General Thomas Carden Jr., USA[4] |
Senior Enlisted Leader | CMSgt John G. Storms, USAF[5] |
Insignia | |
NATO Map Symbol[6][7] | ![]() ![]() |
United States Armed Forces |
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Executive departments |
Staff |
Military departments |
Military services |
Command structure |
The United States Northern Command (USNORTHCOM)[8] is one of eleven unified combatant commands of the United States Department of Defense. The command is tasked with providing military support for non-military authorities in the U.S., and protecting the territory and national interests of the United States within the continental United States, Puerto Rico, Canada, Mexico, The Bahamas, and the air, land and sea approaches to these areas. It is the U.S. military command which, if applicable, would be the primary defender against an invasion of the U.S.
USNORTHCOM was created on 25 April 2002 when President George W. Bush approved a new Unified Command Plan, following the September 11 attacks. USNORTHCOM went operational on 1 October 2002.