Dates: 1953 - 2000
It became known as AFNORTH, but in 2004 it ceased to exist aftera major restructuring and realignment it became known as the Joint Force Command(JFC) Headquarters Brunssum.
On March 3, 2000, Headquarters AFCENT stood down and the new Regional Headquarters Allied Forces North Europe (RHQ AFNORTH) assumed command. The AFNORTH Area of Responsibility kept its regional focus in Northern Europe.
On July 1, 2004, Allied Forces North Europe (AFNORTH) ceased to exist, and became Joint Force Command (JFC) Headquarters Brunssum. This is more than just a mere name change for the NATO buildings and offices located in Brunssum, it is a part of a major realignment of forces and command restructuring that NATO is undertaking.
The restructuring process was initiated during the Prague Summit in November of 2002. During the Summit, Alliance members decided to change the structure of NATO commands in order to more effectively handle the security challenges of the 21th century. NATO’s operational headquarters will no longer be tied to regional areas, giving NATO greater flexibility with the commands.
Restructuring the commands was not a small task and has been completed in 2005.
Further restructuring of the JFC Headquarters is expected to take place in 2007 and 2008.
