Has the Time Come to Merge SOUTHCOM With Another Unified Command

• Main Author: Sykora, Charles D.
• Other Authors: NAVAL WAR COLL NEWPORT RI JOINT MILITARY OPERATIONS DEPT
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: 2004
• Subjects: Military Forces and Organizations; Military Operations; Strategy and Tactics; *JOINT MILITARY ACTIVITIES; UNITED STATES; NATIONAL SECURITY; STRATEGY; MILITARY DOCTRINE; MILITARY ORGANIZATIONS; SOUTHCOM(US SOUTHERN COMMAND); UCP(UNIFIED COMMAND PLAN); *MILITARY COMMANDS; NORTHCOM(US NORTHERN COMMAND); NORTHCOM
• Online Access: http://www.dtic.mil/docs/citations/ADA425935; http://oai.dtic.mil/oai/oai?&verb=getRecord&metadataPrefix=html&identifier=ADA425935

The application of a qualitative framework constructed from national security and military strategy, together with joint doctrine, demonstrates that merging the U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) with the U.S. Northern Command (NORTHCOM), which is an option under evaluation in the current biennial review of the Unified Command Plan (UCP), will reduce the effectiveness of the UCP. Reviewing the history of both actual and postulated UCP changes sets the basis for understanding the current debate and reveals which historical arguments remain applicable today. Drawing from the numerous internal and external UCP studies, as well as guidance for past deliberations, it is possible to build an analysis framework that, if inspected for strategy and doctrine changes in the future, can be applied to any future efforts to merge, eliminate, or reshape SOUTHCOM. Using the framework for the current debate illustrates that, while the merger is not prudent, the seam between SOUTHCOM and NORTHCOM requires modification to support peacetime theater security cooperation and potential military operations. The original document contains color images.