U.S. Southern Command

The U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) staff is organized into directorates and security cooperation organizations. SOUTHCOM comprises more than 1,200 military and civilian personnel representing the army, navy, air force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, and other federal agencies. The armed services provide SOUTHCOM with the following component commands: U.S. Army South, U.S. Air Forces Southern, U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command/ U.S. Fourth Fleet, and U.S. Marine Corps South. The SOUTHCOM enterprise also includes Command South, Joint Task Forces Guantanamo and Bravo, one Joint Interagency Task Force, and a network of Security Cooperation Offices. Combatant command authority is exercised through the commanders of SOUTHCOM’s different components. The SOUTHCOM commander reports to the president of the United States through the secretary of defense.

SOUTHCOM is one of nine unified ...