United States Army Forces Command
Encyclopedia
United States Army Forces Command (FORSCOM) is the largest Army Command and the preeminent provider of expeditionary, campaign-capable land forces to Combatant Commanders. Headquartered at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, FORSCOM consists of more than 750,000 Active Army, U.S. Army Reserve, and Army National Guard soldiers. FORSCOM provides enhanced land power gaining operational depth and versatility through a mix of fully integrated Active and Reserve Component forces operating in a Joint, Interagency, Intergovernmental, and Multinational (JIIM) environment. Its organizations are expeditionary, campaign focused, and tailorable to provide Combatant Commanders the required capabilities to be decisive across the range of military operations.
The capabilities of the new brigade-level formations – armor, infantry, airborne, air assault and Stryker – ensure greater flexibility and enhance FORSCOM’s ability to deploy trained and ready forces quickly.
FORSCOM has major units located at 15 installations, including the National Training Center at Fort Irwin, California and the Joint Readiness Training Center at Fort Polk
, Louisiana. They present training scenarios constantly updated to reflect changing battlefield conditions and to incorporate lessons learned. Soldiers are presented with complex, cross-cultural challenges by large numbers of role players who act as combatants and foreign citizens. NTC and JRTC have urban combat landscapes and cave and tunnel complexes to simulate current and potential wartime environments.
As directed by law, and in accordance with the recommendations of the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure Commission, Fort McPherson, Ga., closed and FORSCOM relocated to Fort Bragg, N.C. A new FORSCOM/U.S. Army Reserve Command Headquarters facility completed construction at Fort Bragg, N.C., in June 2011. Forces Command hosted 24 June 2011 an Army "casing of colors ceremony" on Fort McPherson, Ga., and an "uncasing of colors ceremony" 1 Aug. 2011 on Fort Bragg, N.C.
Forces Command supervised a number of armies each responsible for areas of the continental United States: First Army, Fourth Army, Fifth Army, and Sixth Army, at various times. Their responsibilities varied over time, but from the 1980s to the mid 1990s covered Reserve Component training supervision.
The Active Component of FORSCOM has over 237,000 soldiers. Third U.S. Army, also located at Fort McPherson, is the Army component of United States Central Command
, the Joint command responsible for Southwest Asia and the Horn of Africa. FORSCOM also commands three Army corps: I Corps at Fort Lewis
, Washington; III Corps at Fort Hood, Texas; and XVIII Airborne Corps at Fort Bragg, North Carolina
. Together they include eight divisions (1st Cavalry Division, 1st Armored Division
, 1st Infantry Division, 3rd Infantry Division, 4th Infantry Division, 10th Mountain Division, 82nd Airborne Division, and the 101st Airborne Division
, three separate brigades, two armored cavalry regiments, 37 support brigades of various types, and a range of other corps combat, combat support and combat service support units.
First U.S. Army
is responsible for training, mobilization and deployment support to Reserve Component units in FORSCOM. They also execute FORSCOM missions within their geographic areas of responsibility.
(USARC), also is headquartered at Fort Bragg, N.C. It commands all Army Reserve
units in the continental United States, except those assigned to Special Operations Command. FORSCOM's Army Reserve strength stands at about 179,000 soldiers.
USARC units are part of the Federal force and make their primary contribution to FORSCOM combat power in combat support and combat service support specialties, such as medical, civil affairs, transportation, maintenance and supply. Many USARC units are designated to deploy early for contingency operations worldwide.
provides Forces Command a balanced force of eight National Guard combat divisions, 15 brigades, and extensive combat support and combat service support units.
The current FORSCOM Army National Guard strength is approximately 351,000 soldiers. Mobilizing the Army National Guard into active federal service would bring the total strength of FORSCOM to nearly two-thirds of the Army's combat ground forces.
Mission
Forces Command provides Army forces to the joint war fight. FORSCOM prepares U.S. Army conventional forces to provide a sustained flow of trained and ready land power to Combatant Commanders in defense of the Nation at home and abroad.Overview
Using the Army Force Generation process (ARFORGEN), FORSCOM tailors the resources and training of its units to meet the specific and constantly changing requirements of combatant commanders and, when directed, of U.S. civil authorities. Those requirements range from preparing Soldiers to fight on the battlefields of Afghanistan and Iraq, to providing relief to disaster victims. FORSCOM remains at the point of the effort to transform the Army into a more deployable and maneuverable lethal force. This shift to a modular force design increases the number of units available to support regional combatant commanders. It will expand the available force pool and mandate a standard set of force structures organized and equipped to be interchangeable.The capabilities of the new brigade-level formations – armor, infantry, airborne, air assault and Stryker – ensure greater flexibility and enhance FORSCOM’s ability to deploy trained and ready forces quickly.
FORSCOM has major units located at 15 installations, including the National Training Center at Fort Irwin, California and the Joint Readiness Training Center at Fort Polk
Fort Polk
Fort Polk is a United States Army installation located in Vernon Parish, approximately 7 miles east of Leesville, Louisiana and 20 miles north of DeRidder, Louisiana....
, Louisiana. They present training scenarios constantly updated to reflect changing battlefield conditions and to incorporate lessons learned. Soldiers are presented with complex, cross-cultural challenges by large numbers of role players who act as combatants and foreign citizens. NTC and JRTC have urban combat landscapes and cave and tunnel complexes to simulate current and potential wartime environments.
As directed by law, and in accordance with the recommendations of the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure Commission, Fort McPherson, Ga., closed and FORSCOM relocated to Fort Bragg, N.C. A new FORSCOM/U.S. Army Reserve Command Headquarters facility completed construction at Fort Bragg, N.C., in June 2011. Forces Command hosted 24 June 2011 an Army "casing of colors ceremony" on Fort McPherson, Ga., and an "uncasing of colors ceremony" 1 Aug. 2011 on Fort Bragg, N.C.
Lineage
- U.S. Army Forces Command 1993 – present
- U.S. Forces Command (Specified Command) 1987 – 1993
- U.S. Army Forces Command 1973 – 1987
- U.S. Continental Army Command 1955 – 1973
- Army Field Forces 1948 – 1955
- Army Ground Forces 1942 – 1948
- General Headquarters/Field Forces U.S. Army 1940 – 1942.
Active component
During the Cold WarCold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
Forces Command supervised a number of armies each responsible for areas of the continental United States: First Army, Fourth Army, Fifth Army, and Sixth Army, at various times. Their responsibilities varied over time, but from the 1980s to the mid 1990s covered Reserve Component training supervision.
The Active Component of FORSCOM has over 237,000 soldiers. Third U.S. Army, also located at Fort McPherson, is the Army component of United States Central Command
United States Central Command
The United States Central Command is a theater-level Unified Combatant Command unit of the U.S. armed forces, established in 1983 under the operational control of the U.S. Secretary of Defense...
, the Joint command responsible for Southwest Asia and the Horn of Africa. FORSCOM also commands three Army corps: I Corps at Fort Lewis
Fort Lewis
Joint Base Lewis-McChord is a United States military facility located south-southwest of Tacoma, Washington. The facility is under the jurisdiction of the United States Army Joint Base Garrison, Joint Base Lewis-McChord....
, Washington; III Corps at Fort Hood, Texas; and XVIII Airborne Corps at Fort Bragg, North Carolina
Fort Bragg, North Carolina
Fort Bragg is a major United States Army installation, in Cumberland and Hoke counties, North Carolina, U.S., mostly in Fayetteville but also partly in the town of Spring Lake. It was also a census-designated place in the 2010 census and had a population of 39,457. The fort is named for Confederate...
. Together they include eight divisions (1st Cavalry Division, 1st Armored Division
1st Armored Division (United States)
The 1st Armored Division—nicknamed "Old Ironsides"—is a standing armored division of the United States Army with base of operations in Fort Bliss, Texas. It was the first armored division of the U.S...
, 1st Infantry Division, 3rd Infantry Division, 4th Infantry Division, 10th Mountain Division, 82nd Airborne Division, and the 101st Airborne Division
101st Airborne Division
The 101st Airborne Division—the "Screaming Eagles"—is a U.S. Army modular light infantry division trained for air assault operations. During World War II, it was renowned for its role in Operation Overlord, the D-Day landings on 6 June 1944, in Normandy, France, Operation Market Garden, the...
, three separate brigades, two armored cavalry regiments, 37 support brigades of various types, and a range of other corps combat, combat support and combat service support units.
First U.S. Army
U.S. First Army
The First United States Army is a field army of the United States Army. It now serves a mobilization, readiness and training command.- Establishment and World War I :...
is responsible for training, mobilization and deployment support to Reserve Component units in FORSCOM. They also execute FORSCOM missions within their geographic areas of responsibility.
United States Army Reserve
A major subordinate command of Forces Command is the United States Army Reserve CommandUnited States Army Reserve Command
United States Army Reserve Command commands all United States Army Reserve units. USARC is responsible for the staffing, training, management and deployment of its units to ensure their readiness for Army missions. The Army Reserve which consists of three main categories of units.-Mission:U.S...
(USARC), also is headquartered at Fort Bragg, N.C. It commands all Army Reserve
United States Army Reserve
The United States Army Reserve is the federal reserve force of the United States Army. Together, the Army Reserve and the Army National Guard constitute the reserve components of the United States Army....
units in the continental United States, except those assigned to Special Operations Command. FORSCOM's Army Reserve strength stands at about 179,000 soldiers.
USARC units are part of the Federal force and make their primary contribution to FORSCOM combat power in combat support and combat service support specialties, such as medical, civil affairs, transportation, maintenance and supply. Many USARC units are designated to deploy early for contingency operations worldwide.
Army National Guard
The Army National GuardArmy National Guard
Established under Title 10 and Title 32 of the U.S. Code, the Army National Guard is part of the National Guard and is divided up into subordinate units stationed in each of the 50 states, three territories and the District of Columbia operating under their respective governors...
provides Forces Command a balanced force of eight National Guard combat divisions, 15 brigades, and extensive combat support and combat service support units.
The current FORSCOM Army National Guard strength is approximately 351,000 soldiers. Mobilizing the Army National Guard into active federal service would bring the total strength of FORSCOM to nearly two-thirds of the Army's combat ground forces.
Subordinate units
- First United States Army
- I Corps
- III Corps
- XVIII Airborne Corps
- National Training Center
- Joint Readiness Training Center
- 7th Signal Command
- 20th Support Command (CBRNE)20th Support Command (CBRNE)The 20th Support Command is the United States Army's Chemical, Biological, Nuclear, Radiological and high-yield explosives headquarters....
- 32nd Army Air & Missile Defense Command32nd Army Air & Missile Defense CommandThe 32d Army Air and Missile Defense Command is a one-of-a-kind theater level Army air and missile defense multi-component organization with a worldwide, 72-hour deployment mission...
- 49th Quartermaster Group