Central Command

Military strike force consisting of units from the US army, navy, and air force, which operates in the Middle East and North Africa. Its headquarters are in Fort McDill, Florida, with a regional headquarters in Qatar. It was established in 1979, following the Iranian hostage crisis and the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, and was known as the Rapid Deployment Force until 1983. It commanded coalition forces in the Gulf Wars I and II and during Operation Enduring Freedom.

Plagued by organizational problems, interservice rivalries, equipment shortages, and lack of access to bases in the Middle East, it was reorganized by President Reagan in 1983 as the US Central Command.