In 1997 the law for the reform of the military High Commands gave hierarchical supremacy to the Chief of the Defence General Staff. Since then the Army has started a revision process of its organization chart in order to make the organization adequate for the national and international modern tasks. The Operational Land Forces Command (COMFOTER) has grouped all the "Combat", "Combat Support", "Combat Service Support" Units and those specialized in "Communication and Information System" that represent the two-thirds of the Army.
Formed in Verona on 1st October 1997, at first it was joined to the Land Allied Forces Command of the Southern Europe but then it disengaged from the NATO Command. It was composed of four commands called 1st and 2nd Defence Forces Command, Projection Forces Command, Alpine Troops Command and a Supports Command.
On 1st October 2016 the Operational Land Forces Command was reorganized and renamed Operational Land Forces Command and Army Operational Command (COMFOTER COE), located in Rome.