Supreme Allied Commander

The Supreme Allied Commander Europe ( SACEUR ) was originally the supreme commander of NATO strategic commands and Europe since 2004 has been the strategic military commander in charge of the Alliance for operations. The Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE, German about Allied Headquarters Europe ) supports the Supreme Allied Commander in the discharge of its responsibilities. At the same time, the SACEUR, the commander of U.S. European Command ( USEUCOM ) and thus always an American general or admiral.

Formation

Originally, the strategic NATO command was divided into areas of responsibility " Europe" and " Atlantic " ( Supreme Allied Commander Atlantic, SACLANT ). This separation, however, was repealed in 2003 and the post of SACLANT was abandoned. A new command area was created Consequently, Supreme Allied Commander Transformation (Eng. about Supreme Commander for Transformation, SACT ), which deals with the conversion and adaptation of NATO's structures to new circumstances. SACT was until 2009 the same time commander of U.S. Joint Forces Command (Ger. about Command Joint Armed Forces of the United States).

The SACEUR now retained from tradition, the " Europe" in its title, its skills since, however, include all NATO operations.

Competencies and deputy

The SACEUR is responsible for the planning, preparation and management of all authorized by the North Atlantic Council NATO operations at the strategic management level. He is involved in the development of military-political concepts of the Alliance and advises the NATO Military Committee and the Secretary General of NATO from military strategic point of view.

Prefixed to the SACEUR is the NATO headquarters in Brussels with the Chairman of the NATO Military Committee in its military-political function and the North Atlantic Council with the NATO Secretary General at the top in its political role. As a representative of SACEUR acts a British general, ( DSACEUR / Deputy SACEUR ). A German general is chief of staff of SHAPE (English COS). From 1979 until the end of 1990, there were two deputy positions DSACEUR and COS rotated between Britain and Germany. For the first SACEUR 1951 Dwight D. Eisenhower was appointed. The first German DSACEUR was from January 3, 1978 to April 1, 1980 General Gerd Schmückle.

List of SACEUR

Since General Ridgway SACEUR is also commander of the U.S. European Command.