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The General, with headquarters in London, is the international leader of The Salvation Army. In the United States, the functions of The Salvation Army are coordinated by the National Commander, whose office is in Alexandria, Virginia.
For administrative purposes, the nation is divided into four territories: Central, with headquarters in Des Plaines, Illinois; Eastern, with headquarters in West Nyack, New York; Southern, with headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia; and Western, with headquarters in Rancho Palos Verdes, California. Each territory is under the leadership of a territorial commander.
Legally, each of the four Salvation Army territories in the United States functions as a tax-exempt corporation with the National Commander as the Chairperson of the Board.
Territories are made up of units known as divisions. There are roughly 40 divisions in the United States and each is headed by a divisional commander. Divisions consist of corps, the basic units of The Salvation Army. The functions of the corps include religious and social services, which are adapted to local needs. Each corps is under the supervision of a corps officer.
Each territory also has a training school—either a college for officer training (CFOT) or school for officer training (SFOT)—under the leadership of a training principal. Each also has an adult rehabilitation centers command, which oversees rehabilitation programs in the territory.
Nationwide policy is the responsibility of the Commissioners’ Conference, whose membership includes the national leaders, the territorial leaders, the national chief secretary and the four territorial chief secretaries. Standing commissions devise and evaluate strategic initiatives to further the mission and ministry of The Salvation Army and then make recommendations to the Commissioners’ Conference.
