The U.S. Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM) will officially rename it to U.S. Pacific Command (USPACOM), reversing a 2018 decision to rename it, the War Department announced Tuesday.Originally established on January 1, 1947 by then-President Harry Truman, the command has operated under the USPACOM banner for more than 70 years, being the oldest and largest of the United States’ unified combat commands.“Restoring the old USPACOM designation honors the command’s deep historical roots and fosters a sense of pride and esprit de corps among all who serve in the Pacific,” the War Department said in a statement.The name change is largely symbolic and carries no substantive changes to the forces, military missions, or other Pentagon activities. USPACOM’s vast area of responsibility, which extends from the waters off the west coast of the United States to the western border of India, remains exactly the same.The command’s core mission and commitment to maintaining a free and open theater alongside allies and regional partners remains unchanged, according to the press release.
In May 2018, then-Defense Secretary Jim Mattis announced the renaming of Pacific Command to Indo-Pacific Command, a move that highlighted India’s growing importance to the Pentagon.“Relationships with our allies and partners in the Pacific and Indian Ocean have proven critical to maintaining regional stability,” Mattis said at the time. “In recognition of the growing connectivity between the Indo-Pacific, today we are renaming U.S. Pacific Command the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command.”Restoring the Pacific Command name does not affect the command’s operational scope, personnel, or resources. The command includes about 375,000 civilian and military personnel assigned to its area of responsibility, which includes India.