About Us

We stand for readiness.

United States Army Central is home to America’s land domain experts in the Middle East, Central Asia, and South Asia. We provide continuous oversight and control of U.S. Army operations throughout the region. 

U.S. Army Central has a storied past and has always been a key player in U.S. foreign policy. We are a unit rich in history and steeped in a tradition of victory on the battlefield.

Our lineage goes back to the Third U.S. Army, established on November 7, 1918, during the first World War. Third Army was redesignated as "U.S. Army Central Command" in June 2006.

Our motto, Tertia Semper Prima, Latin for "Third, Always First," reflects our command’s longstanding history of constant readiness to fight and win the nation's wars. 

OUR MISSION
United States Army Central (USARCENT) provides enduring support to the Joint Force, sets and maintains the theater, and leads Building Partner Capacity mission sets to secure U.S. and allied interests in the USCENTCOM Area of Responsibility. On order, USARCENT transitions to a Coalition Forces Land Component Command (CFLCC) to dominate in conflict.

OUR VISION
USARCENT is a disciplined and agile command and America's land domain expert in the Middle East and Central Asia-South Asia. USARCENT postures with recalibrated enduring presence and persistent partnerships, enabling competition. Together with Joint and Coalition forces, we deter our adversaries and, if necessary, rapidly transition to a CFLCC to win in conflict. 
 

Our Enduring Priorities

Soldier with mask hugging child
 

Our enduring priorities are the operating values of our organization that guide our approach to everything we do.

PEOPLE are our main resource. We work constantly to improve quality of life and foster a positive work environment for our Soldiers and civilians, both at home and overseas. 

U.S. Army Central lives the Army values - loyalty, duty, respect, selfless service, honor, integrity, and personal courage. We advocate resilience - knowing that our Army is only as strong as our soldiers. Teams are dedicated to educating our members and creating a culture of equal opportunity and zero-tolerance for sexual harassment or assault. 

Our care for people does not stop at our own. USARCENT is active in our local community - participating in mentoring, outreach, and volunteering. We partner with fellow units on Shaw Air Force Base and at Fort Jackson in Columbia, SC, to support local service men and women and their families. 

USARCENT is ready to respond to crises in our area of responsibility,  providing disaster relief and humanitarian assistance at a moment's notice as part of U.S. government and international efforts to aid those affected by catastrophic events. 

  






 
 

We value active PARTNERSHIPS and strong relationships with the communities we work and live in. While we re-size, re-shape, and reposition our forces in the region, we retain the ability to support our partners and react to any potential threat within the region. 

Our small forward presence is the key to the access, partnerships, and trust necessary to protect our national security interests and preserve stability in the region. The ability to cross national borders quickly and seamlessly, both in the air and on the ground, to execute shared contingency plans, helps provide a mutual and effective defense in the region. 

 

Due to its location and resources, the Middle East and Central Asia are key to competing strategically with China and Russia. We are leveraging ports on the Red Sea and transporting equipment via the Trans Arabian Network to improve sustainment, survivability, and interoperability.

 

  






 






 


Being the Secretary of the Army's number one priority, READINESS is the primary focus for U.S. Army Central. USARCENT helps the Army remain ready to fight and win the nation's wars by building partnerships, preserving relative peace and stability, and defeating or deterring adversaries in the Central Region. 

 

The complex and volatile nature of the U.S. Central Command theater requires both preparation and collaboration in order to protect our national interests. Preparing the environment through basing, access, and overflight ensures a high level of readiness in advance of a crisis. We shape the future every day by working alongside and training with our partners - conducting joint exercises, information exchanges, and symposiums in order to enhance our partner interoperability. 

 

We recognize that what happens on the ground - where people live - can have major global implications, and we are postured to maintain the freedom of movement, action, and navigation that is essential to protecting our national interests and those of our partners and Allies.