USARNORTH

USARNORTH (ARNORTH) (U.S. Army North) is the official designation for the 5th U.S. Army, which, through a new naming convention, became 5th Army/Army North on October 1, 2005. ARNORTH is "headquartered in the historic Quadrangle at Fort Sam Houston, Texas, in San Antonio, with the majority of its people forward deployed throughout its 21-state area of responsibility" located "west of the Mississippi River". 

ARNORTH "conducts Homeland Defense (HLD) and Civil Support (CS) operations, and Theater Security Cooperation (TSC) activities, as the Army Service Component Command (ASCC) to U.S. Northern Command in order to protect the American people and their way of life," its website states. "On order, USARNORTH commands and controls deployed forces as a Joint Task Force (JTF) or Joint Force Land Component Command (JFLCC)." 

Operational
ARNORTH, "conceived to be the dedicated Army Service Component Command" to U.S. Northern Command, "reached full operational capability" on October 16, 2006, according to a 5th Army news release. ARNORTH "officially assumed the Army component command duties from U.S. Army Forces Command" on October 1, 2006.

Homeland Security
Because ARNORTH's "regional scope" "falls within the United States, it assumes a homeland security mission." 

FEMA
According to the command's website, ARNORTH will also react "to man-made and natural disasters within the country" and "will train to work with FEMA and other governmental agencies to lessen the loss of life and property damage these disasters cause." ARNORTH "will also align itself physically" with FEMA and "will establish a presence in each of FEMA’s 10 regions across the country." 

Hurricanes Katrina / Rita
"ARNORTH achieved initial operating capability Oct. 1, 2005 but was already active in the DSCA [defense support of civil authorities] mission, supporting relief operations for Hurricane Katrina and establishing a Joint Task Force for Hurricane Rita." 

Tasks
In September 2005, USARNORTH "achieved initial operating capability" and was "charged with specific mission tasks" (as stated):
 * Execution of homeland defense and defense support of civil authorities missions.
 * Provide training and readiness oversight of certified weapons of mass destruction—civil support teams.
 * Conduct the Army-to-Army portion of the theater cooperation mission with Canada and Mexico.
 * Coordinate the activities of defense coordinating officers and their elements assigned in each Federal Emergency Management Agency region.
 * Task organize up to two task forces that, with augmentation, can become joint task forces and deploy within the operational area to command and control DOD forces responding to homeland defense or civil support operations.

Command Group

 * Lt.Gen. Robert T. Clark, Commanding General 5th U.S. Army

Contact details
Mailing Address: Headquarters, U.S. Army North 1400 East Grayson, Suite 152 Fort Sam Houston, TX 78234-7000 Phone: 210 221-0015 FAX: 210 221-9289 Website: http://usarnorth.org Website: http://www.5tharmy.army.mil/

Related SourceWatch Resources

 * Joint Protection Enterprise Network
 * North American Union
 * revolution in military affairs
 * U.S.-Canada Binational Planning Group
 * U.S. Department of Defense
 * U.S. Department of Homeland Security
 * U.S. Northern Command