DUSHANBE (Asia-Plus) – Special Operations Command Central (SOCCENT) Commander, Maj. Gen. Ken Tovo, visited Tajikistan on November 14 and met with senior U.S. and Tajik officials on issues of bilateral cooperation and regional interest, the U.S. Embassy in Dushanbe said.

SOCCENT insignia
The Command’s motto is Molon labe, Greek for “Come and take them”, reportedly said by King Leonidas I of Sparta before the Battle of Thermopylae in response to the Persian demand to surrender their weapons.

During his visit, Tovo reportedly met with U.S. Ambassador Susan Elliott and discussed areas of continued military cooperation between the two countries, including SOCCENT’s relationship with the Tajik Special Operations Forces. Tovo also met with senior military officials as he 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.

In the initial stages of Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan, the formation’s commander was Rear Admiral Albert Calland. Under his overall direction, Task Force K-Bar deployed to southern Afghanistan and a comparable task force operated in the north of the country.