DUSHANBE, January 27, 2014, Asia-Plus -- U.S. Army Major-General Michael K. Nagata, commander of Special Operations Command Central (SOCCENT), visited Tajikistan to meet with senior U.S. and Tajik officials on issues of bilateral security cooperation and regional interest, U.S. Embassy in Dushanbe reported today.

During his visit, Nagata met with U.S. Ambassador Susan Elliott and discussed areas of continued military cooperation between the United States and Tajikistan, including SOCCENT’s relationship with the Tajik Special Operations Forces.

He and senior military officials reportedly also underscored SOCCENT’s support to stability and security in Central Asia.

Special Operations Command Central (SOCCENT), headquartered at MacDill AFB, Florida, is a subordinate unified command of US Central Command (USCENTCOM).  It is responsible for planning special operations throughout the USCENTCOM area of responsibility (AOR); planning and conducting peacetime joint/combined special operations training exercises; and orchestrating command and control of peacetime and wartime special operations as directed.  SOCCENT exercises operational control of assigned and attached SOF which deploy for the execution of training and for operational missions in the USCENTCOM AOR as directed by USCINCCENT.

According to information posted on USCENTCOM’s website, it recently assumed responsibility for all military activities for the five countries in the Central Asian Region: Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan.  SOCCENT''s inherently small footprint and culturally sensitive forces reportedly play a critical role in nurturing CENTCOM''s relationships in this region.