National Military Command Center

The National Military Command Center is a command facility within the Pentagon complex in Virginia that operates around the clock with staff monitoring developments worldwide. The space is equipped with screens, communication lines, and workstations that allow information from different sources to be gathered and relayed.

The center was established in June 1962 by consolidating earlier installations such as the Air Force Command Post and the Joint War Room that had developed during World War II and the following years. Over time the demands for coordination and rapid response grew, leading to the merger of separate command posts into a single facility.

The facility serves as the nerve center for decision-making at the highest level and reflects how command traditions have adapted to modern requirements. Its presence embodies the importance placed on coordinated action and the trust invested in constant readiness.

The facility is located inside the Pentagon and is not open to the public as it serves exclusively military functions. Those interested in understanding how such centers work can find information through documentaries or during public tours of other parts of the Pentagon complex.

The rooms house the American end of the direct link to Moscow established in 1963 to enable immediate talks during crises. This connection is often called the red telephone, although it technically never functioned as a phone line but rather as a teletype and later a data connection.