Skip to main content (Press Enter).
 News
    
        Photos

    Week in Photos

    Air Force TV

    Commentaries

    Features

    Art

    About Us
    
        Air Force Senior Leaders
    
        SECAF

    CSAF

    CMSAF

    Biographies

    Fact Sheets

    SECAF Reading List

    CSAF Leadership Library
    
        CSAF Leadership Library 2022

    CSAF Leadership Library 2021

    CSAF Reading List Pre-2020 Archive
    
        2018 CSAF Reading List

    2017 CSAF Reading List

    2016 CSAF Reading List

    CSAF Leadership Library 2023

    CMSAF Leadership Library

    50 Years of the CMSAF

    Adjunct Professors

    Air Force Strategic Documents

    Arctic Strategy

    Empowered Airmen

    State Licensure Portability

    Careers

    AF Federal Advisory Committees

    AF 75th Anniversary

    Policy Updates

    AF Content Management

    Contact Us

    AF Sites
    
        Site RegistrationU.S. Air Force LogoAir Force

        Policy UpdatesNewsroomReoptimizationBIOGRAPHIESAF Senior Leaders      Alaskan Command joins U.S. Northern CommandPublished Nov. 3, 2014
            **JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska (AFNS) --**Alaska is poised to play an increasingly important role in the development of military capabilities in the Arctic following a reassignment of command responsibilities.
Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel approved a proposal on Oct. 27 to reassign Alaskan Command, a sub-unified command commonly known as ALCOM to the U.S. Northern Command, which is the military's combatant command responsible for North America and the Arctic. ALCOM previously fell under the U.S. Pacific Command.
The move should be transparent to most military personnel in Alaska, and will not have an impact on the size or budget of ALCOM.
Gen. Charles Jacoby, the commander of both U.S. Northern Command and the combined US-Canada North American Aerospace Defense Command, or NORAD, said the move provides a better command structure for the defense of North America.
"This is an important step in integrating our defense across North America," Jacoby said. "It places our nation in a better position to plan and execute homeland defense and civil support missions in Alaska, and reflects the growing strategic value of the Arctic to our nation's defense.
"Simply put, this move makes the most sense as we seek a more cohesive approach to defending North America," he said.
ALCOM Commander Lt. Gen. Russ Handy said the transfer streamlines command and control in Alaska and improves the ability of U.S. Pacific Command and U.S. Northern Command to execute their missions.
"This will improve partnerships with our Canadian neighbors and international allies in order to optimize support to all combatant commanders in the context of the evolving Arctic environment," Handy said. "We do not anticipate any major changes to the size and scope of our headquarters. In fact, this re-alignment strongly reaffirms the critical importance of what the men and women of ALCOM do every day in support of our national interests."
The shift was recommended by both Jacoby and his Pacific Command counterpart, Adm. Samuel Locklear.
U.S. Northern Command, also known as USNORTHCOM, is headquartered in Colorado Springs, Colorado. It was created in 2002 in the wake of the 9/11 attacks to serve as a single military command responsible for defense of the U.S. homeland. 
The Alaskan Command is responsible for maximizing theater force readiness for Alaskan service members and expediting worldwide contingency force deployments from and through Alaska. The command closely integrates headquarters activities with Alaskan NORAD Region, the 11th Air Force and U.S. Army Alaska. Department of Defense forces in Alaska include more than 22,000 Air Force, Army, Navy and Marine personnel, and 4,700 Guardsmen and Reservists.*(Courtesy of Alaskan Command Public Affairs)*ALCOM 



U.S. Northern Command 



Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson 



Alaska 



Alaskan Command Featured News
        Senior Leader Priorities
                DAF leaders talk budget, reoptimizing the force
                    
                    DAF leaders speak at National Character and Leadership Symposium
                    
                    DAF members recognized during BEYA STEM awards
                    
                    DAF senior enlisted advisors discuss Airmen, Guardians in the fight
                    
                    SecAF Kendall AFA Warfare Symposium Q&A: Reoptimizing for Great Power CompetitionInnovation
                AFWERX director discusses role of tech startups, quick innovation in Great Power Competition
                    
                    DAF delivers lethality at the speed of data during Project Convergence Capstone 4
                    
                    DAF welcomes industry partners to HQ development program
                    
                    DAF announces Spark Tank 2024 finalists
                    
                    Chief Digital, Artificial Intelligence Office to host hackathon in HawaiiMAJCOM News
                Safety enterprise announces new mission, vision, goals in 2024 strategic plan
                    
                    Air Combat Command welcomes new commander
                    
                    USAFE-AFAFRICA commander discusses Integrated Air, Missile Defense during Munich Security Conference
                    
                    Flosi to AFMC family: Embrace change, make every day count
                    
                    AMC rises to increasing global tension
 Quick Links
AccessibilityContact UsEqual OpportunityFOIA | Privacy | Section 508Information QualityInspector GeneralJAG Court-Martial DocketLink DisclaimerNo FEAR ActOpen GovernmentOSI Tip LinePlain LanguageQuestionsResilienceRSSSite MapVeterans Crisis LineCareers
Join the Air ForceAir Force BenefitsAir Force CareersAir Force ReserveAir National GuardCivilian ServiceConnect
            Get Social with Us
            
            Official United States Air Force Website
    Hosted by Defense Media Activity - WEB.mil