CENTCAST is the official podcast of US Central Command, the United States military organization responsible for the security of the Middle East. Headquartered in Tampa, Florida, US Central Command - or CENTCOM - is America's premiere warfighting command. In 1983, US Central Command was formed to serve as a hedge against the expansionist goals of Iran - then in the nascent days of its new anti-American regime - and to serve American interests in the Middle East, Levant, and Central Asia amidst strategic competition with the Soviet Union. Forty years later, while much of geopolitics and policy has transformed, the security landscape of this part of the world remains largely unchanged. In many important ways, the region's most vexing problems have grown more complex. The show tells the stories of US Central Command's 40-year history and describes the command's operations and initiatives today. Any security professional interested in the Middle East should listen to CENTCAST, which features discussions with historians, national security analysts, and military leaders. Host Joe Buccino leads discussions on the past, present day, and future of the region and the command. US Central Command releases a new episode of CENTCAST every Tuesday.