Combined Joint Task Force 82 Combined Joint Task Force – 82 ( CJTF - 82 ) is a US led subordinate formation of the International Security Assistance Force ( ISAF ) . It originally served as both the National Command Element for U . S . forces in Afghanistan , reporting directly to the Commander , United States Central Command , and as ISAF ' s Regional Command East . It was replaced by Combined Joint Task Force - 101 ( CJTF - 101 ) in early April 2008 . In May 2009 , CJTF - 82 returned to Bagram Air Field and assumed control of the east . Shortly thereafter the United States Forces Afghanistan ( USFOR - A ) officially took over responsibility as the National Command Element for the theater . CJTF - 82 is headquartered at Bagram Air Base . CJTF 180 and CFC - A . From June 2002 to April 2004 the U . S . formation that directed all Enduring Freedom operations in Afghanistan was designated Combined Joint Task Force - 180 ( CJTF - 180 ) , a corps level headquarters whose staff were provided by Headquarters XVIII Airborne Corps under Lieutenant General Dan K . McNeill . The mission of CJTF - 180 was to conduct operations to destroy remaining Al Qaeda / hostile Taliban command control and other hostile anti - Islamic Transitional Government of Afghanistan elements , trains Afghan National Army , and conducts directed information operations , civil military operations and humanitarian assistance operations in coordination with the ITGA in order to establish a stable and secure Afghanistan able to deter / defeat the re - emergence of terrorism . In November 2003 , Combined Forces Command - Afghanistan ( CFC - A ) was established as the U . S . led , coalition headquarters for Afghanistan . CTJF - 180 was restructured as a subordinate organization of CFC - A . CFC - A reported in turn to United States Central Command . Department of Defense Authorization Appropriation statements for FY 2005 describe " . . CJTF - 180 is a division level organization that exercises command over 11 separate task forces ; including 2 coalition battalions and other support , medical , engineering , and training units . It also has special operations capabilities assigned from U . S . and coalition nations . " Subordinate fighting formations . Under CJTF 180 and later CFC - A , the corps - level overall headquarters , a division level headquarters supervising fighting brigades was maintained in Afghanistan . The HQ was provided in succession by different US Army light divisional headquarters . ' Task Force Mountain ' , drawn from 10th Mountain Division , the headquarters that oversaw Operation Anaconda , was the first of these HQs . Later changes in the Divisional HQ providing the task force HQ saw changes to the name , first to CJTF 76 and then to CJTF 82 . The mission of CJTF - 76 was to conduct a ' full spectrum of operations throughout its operations area to defeat [ the ] enemy extremist movement , establish an enduring security and reshape its posture for the Long War in order to set conditions for long - term stability in Afghanistan . ' CJTF 76 had a one point two combat brigades under its control , which conducted counter - insurgency operations against Taliban and Al - Qaeda in the east and south of the country . The Task Force and its subordinate formations comprised a shifting group of units and formations . There were also engineer and special operations Task Forces , plus the Provincial Reconstruction Team s . The lead fighting formation of CJTF - 180 changed in mid - April 2004 to the 25th Infantry Division ( Light ) , resulting in a designator change to CJTF - 76 . CJTF 76 was in place until March 2007 . In March 2005 , the U . S . Army ' s Southern European Task Force ( SETAF ) took the leadership role in CJTF - 76 . In February 2006 , the 10th Mountain Division ( Light Infantry ) took over CJTF - 76 leadership . At the time of the transfer of authority of the RC East area from U . S . Central Command to the NATO - led ISAF , CJTF - 76 was commanded by Maj . Gen . Benjamin Freakley of the U . S . 10th Mountain Division ( Light Infantry ) . With the inactivation of CFC - A in late 2006 , CJTF - 76 transitioned to ISAF command as headquarters for ISAF ' s Regional Command East . The elimination of the intermediate U . S . CFC - A meant the commander CJTF - 76 simultaneously reported to the Commander , U . S . Central Command as the National Command Element for U . S . forces in Afghanistan . CJTF - 76 was replaced by CJTF - 82 , led by the 82nd Airborne Division , in March 2007 . Post Handover to ISAF . With the concurrence of the Commander , U . S . Central Command , and upon the inactivation of HQ CFC - A , Headquarters CJTF - 76 became the United States National Command Element for the Afghanistan Combined Joint Operations Area ( CJOA ) . The Commander of CJTF - 76 is also the regional commander of Regional Command East ( RC - East ) . The Commander , Joint Task Force - 76 Maj . Gen . Benjamin Freakley was given two positions as the US operational commander and the NATO / ISAF deputy commander for security . The goal was to maintain proper coordination between the two organizations .