Unified Combatant Commands
JFCOM Joint Forces Command	OPERATIONAL CONTROL of the U.S. combat forces is assigned to the nation's Unified Combat Commands. The chain of command runs from the President to the Secretary of Defense to the Unified Commanders in Chief. Orders and other communications from the President or Secretary are transmitted through the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. A Unified Combatant Command is composed of forces from two or more services, has a broad and continuing mission and is normally organized on a geographical basis. The number of unified combatant commands is not fixed by law or regulation and may vary from time to time. The Unified Combatant Commands (DoD Directive 5100.1) are responsible to the President and the Secretary of Defense for accomplishing the military missions assigned to them. Commanders of the Unified Combatant Commands exercise command authority over forces assigned to them as directed by the Secretary of Defense. The operational chain of command runs from the President to the Secretary of Defense to the Commanders of the Unified Combatant Commands. The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff functions within the chain of command by transmitting to the Commanders of the Unified Combatant Commands the orders of the President or the Secretary of Defense. Unified Combatant Commands include the European Command, Pacific Command, Atlantic Command, Southern Command, Special Operations Command, Strategic Command, Central Command, Transportation Command, and Space Command.
EUCOM European Command
SOCOM Southern Command
CENTCOM Central Command
PACOM Pacific Command
USSOC US Special Operations Command
All OPAREA's