Military Organization and Command
US European Command (USEUCOM) addresses the security and defense needs of nations in what Area of Responsibility (AOR)?
Europe, Eurasia and parts of the Middle East.
How often is the Unified Command Plan reviewed and updated?
Every two years.
For all forces not assigned to the CCDRs, the chain of command runs through whom?
From the President, through the SecDef, to the Secretaries of the military departments.
How are combatant commands organized?
Geographically or functionally.
In what areas does the Armed Forces Policy Council assist the SecDef?
In matters requiring a long-range view, in formulating broad defense policy and advises the SecDef on policies, as requested.
When would the Vice Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff (VCJCS) serve as the acting Chairman?
In the absence of the Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff (CJCS).
US Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) is responsible for planning and conducting special operations. Where is it headquartered?
MacDill AFB, FL.
Where is US Central Command (USCENTCOM) headquartered?
MacDill AFB, FL.
US Africa Command (USAFRICOM) is responsible for military relations with what three entities?
1) African nations; 2) African Union; and 3) African regional security organizations.
The Air Force organizes, trains and equips air forces for what eight specific functions?
1) Air operations, including joint operations; 2) gaining and maintaining general air supremacy; 3) establishing local air superiority, where and as required; 4) the strategic air force of the US and strategic air reconnaissance; 5) airlift and support for airborne operations; 6) air support to land forces and naval forces, including occupation forces; 7) air transport for the armed forces, except as provided by the Navy; and 8) develops the weapons, tactics, techniques, organization and equipment of its combat and service elements coordinating with the Army and Navy on all aspects of joint concern, including those pertaining to amphibious and airborne operations.
Name three special agencies that provide staff assistance to the SecDef.
1) Defense Threat Reduction Agency; 2) Security Service; and 3) Defense Logistics Agency. (They provide special skills, expertise and advice.)
US Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM) and its partners work to promote the development of the region while cooperating to do what five things?
1) Enhance security; 2) deter aggression; 3) respond with force, when necessary; 4) provide humanitarian assistance associated with illicit trafficking; and 5) conduct multinational military exercises designed to strengthen partnerships while developing collective capabilities.
US Southern Command (USSOUTHCOM) works to increase US security by engaging its partners to do what four things?
1) Enhance the peacekeeping abilities of the region; 2) promote human rights; 3) deter illegal activities associated with illicit trafficking; and 4) conduct multinational military exercises designed to strengthen partnerships while developing collective capabilities.
Our military has the constitutional duty to do what three things?
1) Ensure national survival; 2) defend lives and property; and 3) promote vital interests at home and abroad.
Civilian Airmen work side by side daily with their military counterparts and are critical to mission success. What three things do they provide?
1) Invaluable experience; 2) continuity; and 3) leadership in all mission sets.
What three things does the Unified Command Plan assign to combatant commands?
1) Missions; 2) planning, training and operational responsibilities; and 3) geographic Areas of Responsibility (AOR).
The Navy organizes, trains and equips naval forces for what five specific functions?
1) Operations at sea, including joint operations; 2) control of vital sea areas, protection of vital sea lanes and suppression of enemy sea commerce; 3) support of occupation forces, as required; 4) seizure of minor enemy shore positions capable of reduction by such landing forces as may be comprised within the fleet organization; and 5) naval reconnaissance, antisubmarine warfare and shipping protection.
The Army is responsible for organizing, training and equipping land forces for what specific functions?
1) Operations on land, including joint operations; 2) seizure or defense of land areas, including airborne and joint amphibious operations; and 3) occupation of land areas.
Name the five Under Secretaries of Defense.
1) Policy; 2) Comptroller; 3) Personnel and Readiness; 4) Acquisition, Technology and Logistics; and 5) Intelligence.
What are the three components of the Air Force Total Force?
1) Regular Air Force; 2) ANG; and 3) AFR.
Identify the three general functions of the US Armed Forces.
1) Support and defend the US Constitution; 2) ensure the security of the US, its possessions and areas vital to its interests; and 3) uphold and advance US national policies and interests.
Give three examples of multinational commands.
1) The North American Aerospace Defense Command; 2) Combined Forces Command Korea; and 3) Allied Command Operations.
Name the six geographic unified combatant commands.
1) US Africa Command (USAFRICOM); 2) US Central Command (USCENTCOM); 3) US European Command (USEUCOM); 4) US Northern Command (USNORTHCOM); 5) US Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM); and 6) US Southern Command (USSOUTHCOM)
Name the four functional unified combatant commands.
1) US Special Operations Command (USSOCOM); 2) US Strategic Command (USSTRATCOM); 3) US Cyber Command (USCYBERCOM); and 4) US Transportation Command (USTRANSCOM).
Headquartered at the Pentagon, the DoD is America's largest government agency. It includes over _____ million Regular Force members, 826,000 National Guard and Reserve members and 742,000 civilian personnel.
1.3 million.
How many combatant commands are there currently?
10
US Central Command (USCENTCOM) is responsible for operations in _____ countries that fall in the "central" area of the globe (including the Middle East, Central Asia and parts of northern Africa).
20 countries. (It utilizes national and international partnerships to build cooperation among nations, respond to crises, deter and defeat threats, and support development that increases stability in the region.)
What allows the President to authorize communications through the Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff (CJCS)?
A provision of the Goldwater-Nichols DoD Reorganization Act of 1986.
Civilian employees contribute a viewpoint that expands the Air Force perspective, which enhances our capability to solve problems, _____ and achieve mission success.
Adapt to new challenges.
ANG and AFR unit organization parallels Regular Air Force unit organization, with what exception?
Air Reserve Component (ARC) units are sometimes separated from major multi-squadron bases to take advantage of state or regional demographics.
The Air Force functions to provide the means for coordination of _____ among all services.
Air defense
On what matters does the Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman (SEAC) advise?
All matters involving Total Force integration, utilization, health of the force and joint development for enlisted personnel. (The SEAC also serves as a spokesperson to leaders and organizations on applicable issues affecting enlisted forces.)
US Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM) is headquartered at Camp H.M. Smith, HI. What does it oversee?
An Area of Responsibility (AOR) stretching from the western shores of the US to the western border of India, and from Antarctica to the Aleutian Islands. (It encompasses 36 diverse nations.)
Together with commercial partnerships, US Transportation Command (USTRANSCOM) enables a diverse array of joint mobility. What does it provide the DoD?
An aggregate of transportation capabilities and assets.
US Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) offers direct actions in many forms. Name five.
Any five of the following: 1) Short-duration strikes; 2) small-scale offensives; 3) special reconnaissance; 4) unconventional warfare; 5) foreign internal defense; 6) civil affairs operations; 7) counterterrorism; 8) psychological operations; 9) information operations; 10) counter-proliferation of WMDs; 11) security force assistance; 12) counterinsurgency operations; and 13) any specific activities directed by the President or SecDef.
As Commander in Chief, the President has the final command authority. How is this authority limited?
As head of the executive branch, he or she is subject to the "checks and balances" of the legislative and judicial branches.
The Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) provide strategic direction for the armed forces, review major materiel and personnel requirements, and establish joint doctrine. What are their other responsibilities?
Assigning logistic responsibilities to the military services, formulating joint training policies and coordinating military education.
When is the Coast Guard considered a branch of the US Armed Forces?
At all times.
Why do the service chiefs delegate many of their Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) duties to their vice chiefs of staff, while retaining overall responsibility?
Because their JCS duties take precedence over all other duties.
The Vice Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff (VCJCS) cannot be from the same uniformed service as the _____.
Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff (CJCS).
By statute, the chain of command runs from the President through the SecDef to the _____.
Combatant Commanders (CCDR).
What type of command consists of forces from more than one allied nation?
Combined commands.
What is US Strategic Command (USSTRATCOM) responsible for?
Command of nuclear capabilities, space operations, global strike, joint electromagnetic spectrum operations and global missile defense.
US Northern Command (USNORTHCOM) is primarily responsible for civil support and homeland security. Where is it headquartered?
Peterson AFB, CO. (It operates in an Area of Responsibility (AOR) encompassing the CONUS, Alaska, Mexico, Canada, portions of the Caribbean and surrounding waters.)
While coordinating with NATO nations, US European Command (USEUCOM) tries to find cooperative solutions in peace and wartime. What else does it do?
Plans training missions, provides humanitarian assistance and develops strategies for promoting peace and stability in the region.
What are the main responsibilities of the Navy?
Preparing the naval forces necessary to effectively prosecute war, and expanding the Navy's peacetime components to meet the needs of war (in accordance with integrated joint mobilization plans).
Each level in the chain of command is _____ for all lower levels and _____ to all higher levels.
Responsible; accountable.
The Regular Air Force can only withdraw, divert or reassign equipment for other commitments with the written approval of the _____.
SecDef.
Who assists members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) with strategic direction, unified operation of combatant commands and integration of all branches of the military?
The Joint Staff. (More than 1,500 military and civilian personnel composed of approximately equal numbers of officers drawn from the Army, Navy and Air Force.)
What agreement between the SecDef and Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) established the general and specific functions (roles and missions) of each branch of the US Armed Forces?
The Key West Agreement of 1948. (Last revised in 1958.)
Whom do the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) advise?
The President, SecDef and National Security Council.
Who establishes unified combatant commands?
The President, assisted by the Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff (CJCS) through the SecDef.
Who selects and assigns Air Force Forces to Air Force Service Component Commands, commanded by a Commander, Air Force Forces (COMAFFOR)?
The SecAF, with the direction of the SecDef.
Who is the head of the DoD?
The SecDef.
Who formulates general defense policy (and policy related to all matters of direct and primary concern to the DoD) and executes approved policy as the principal defense policy advisor to the President?
The SecDef. (Appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate.)
Once a force is assigned to a unified command, who has the authority to transfer it?
The SecDef. (Or under special procedures of this office with the President's approval.)
Who is appointed to serve as an advisor to the CJCS and the SecDef?
The Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman (SEAC). (It is designated as the highest enlisted position in the US Armed Forces.)
What establishes the basic principle of civilian control of the armed forces?
The US Constitution.
Which branch of the armed forces is primarily organized, trained and equipped for prompt and sustained combat at sea?
The US Navy. (It includes naval combat and service forces, naval aviation and the US Marine Corps.)
Which member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) performs duties as prescribed by the Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff (CJCS), with the approval of the SecDef?
The Vice Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff (VCJCS). (The position is appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate.)
Who is designated as the Commander of US Element, North American Aerospace Defense (NORAD) Command and Commander of NORAD Command when a US officer fulfills the role?
The commander of US Northern Command (USNORTHCOM).
What is command authority?
The established levels of responsibility for Command, Control and Communication (C3) throughout a chain of command.
What is the main responsibility of the Air Force?
The preparation of the air forces necessary to effectively prosecute war, and the expansion of the Air Force's peacetime components to meet the needs of war. (It also provides the means for air defense and helps the Army and Navy accomplish their missions.)
A unified combatant command has a broad, continuing mission with forces drawn from two or more military departments. All units assigned to them remain under the combatant command authority of whom?
The unified Combatant Commanders (CCDR). (Administrative Control (ADCON) authority rests on the respective service component commander.)
Responsibility and authority for the US Armed Forces extends from the President through whom?
Through the SecDef, through two distinct branches of command and through every commander at every level.
The US Army serves as the land-based branch of the US Armed Forces. What is its mission?
To fight and win our nation's wars by providing prompt, sustained land dominance across a full range of military operations and the spectrum of conflict in support of Combatant Commanders (CCDR).
What is the main responsibility of the US Army?
To prepare the land forces necessary to effectively prosecute war, and expand Army peacetime components to meet the needs of war.
What is the DoD's mission?
To provide military forces to deter war and protect the security of our country.
What are the six specific functions of the US Marine Corps?
To: 1) provide Marine forces with supporting air components for service in the seizure or defense of advanced naval bases and for conducting limited land operations; 2) develop, in coordination with the Army and Air Force, the phases of amphibious operations which pertain to the tactics, techniques and equipment employed by landing forces; 3) provide detachments and organizations for service on armed naval vessels; 4) provide security detachments for protection of property at naval stations and bases; 5) provide missions and detachments to support US policies and interests in foreign countries, as directed by proper authority; and 6) assist the Army and Air Force in the accomplishment of their missions.
The major functions of the Coast Guard include: 1) enforcing or assisting in enforcing all applicable federal laws on, under and over the high seas and waters under US jurisdiction; and 2) engaging in maritime air surveillance or interdiction to enforce or assist in enforcing US laws. Name five more major functions.
To: 3) administer laws and promulgate and enforce regulations for the promotion of safety of life and property on and under the high seas and waters under US jurisdiction; 4) develop, establish, maintain and operate, with regard to national defense requirements, aids to maritime navigation, icebreaking facilities and rescue facilities, for the promotion of safety on, under and over the high seas and waters under US jurisdiction; 5) develop, establish, maintain and operate icebreaking facilities on, under and over waters other than the high seas and waters under US jurisdiction (pursuant to international agreements); 6) engage in oceanographic research of the high seas and in waters under US jurisdiction; and 7) maintain a state of readiness to function as a specialized service in the Navy in wartime, including the fulfillment of Maritime Defense Zone command responsibilities.
The Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff (CJCS) may NOT exercise military command over the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) or any of the armed forces. T/F
True
The US Navy is the largest, most capable navy in the world, with the highest combined battle fleet tonnage and world's largest aircraft carrier fleet. T/F
True
The Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff (CJCS) holds the grade of General (or Admiral) and outranks all other officers of the armed forces while serving. T/F
True.
Air Reserve Component (ARC) forces must meet the same training standards and readiness levels as active component forces. T/F
True. (They are also supplied with the same equipment on an equal priority.)
The Army develops the weapons, tactics, techniques, organization and equipment of its combat and service elements. When must they coordinate with the Navy and the Air Force?
In all aspects of joint concern, including those pertaining to amphibious and airborne operations.
The Navy develops the weapons, tactics, techniques, organization and equipment of its combat and service elements. When must they coordinate with the Army and the Air Force?
In all aspects of joint concern, including those pertaining to amphibious operations.
How do geographic unified combatant commands operate?
In clearly delineated Areas of Responsibility (AOR) each with a distinct regional military focus.
Elevated requirements and demands of recurrent deployment of the ANG and AFR over the past few decades have transformed a traditionally strategic Reserve force into a force that provides operational capability, strategic depth and _____.
Surge capacity.
Under what terms does a combined command normally operate?
Terms of a treaty, alliance or bilateral agreement between or among the nations concerned.
Who are the members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS)?
The 1) Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff (CJCS); 2) Vice Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff (VCJCS); 3) Chief of Staff, US Army; 4) Chief of Naval Operations; 5) Chief of Staff, US Air Force; 6) Commandant of the Marine Corps; and 7) Chief of the National Guard Bureau.
What departments form the DoD?
The 1) Office of the Secretary of Defense; 2) Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS); 3) Joint Staff; 4) Departments of the Army, Navy (including the US Marine Corps) and Air Force; 5) unified combatant commands; and 6) forces dedicated to combined commands, defense agencies and DoD field activities.
Who is on the Armed Forces Policy Council?
The 1) SecDef (Chairman); 2) Deputy SecDef; 3) Secretaries of the Army, Navy and Air Force; 4) Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff (CJCS); 5) Under Secretaries of Defense for Policy and for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics; 6) Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Technology; and 7) Service Chiefs.
What two elements comprise the Air Reserve Component (ARC)?
The ANG and AFR. (Forces are drawn from the ARC when the Regular Air Force must rapidly expand.)
What are the three military departments?
The Air Force, Army and Navy. (The Navy includes the Marine Corps and, in wartime, the Coast Guard.)
Direction of the Joint Staff rests exclusively with _____.
The Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff (CJCS).
Who presides over the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS)?
The Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff (CJCS). (He or she also furnishes the recommendations and views of the JCS to the President, National Security Council or the SecDef.)
Who is the principal military advisor to the President, National Security Council and the SecDef?
The Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff (CJCS). (He or she may also be assigned oversight of the combatant commands.)
The Commander, Air Force Forces (COMAFFOR) is under the administrative branch authority (or Administrative Control (ADCON)) of the SecAF. To whom is the COMAFFOR under the operational branch authority (or Operational Control (OPCON))?
The Combatant Commander (CCDR) to whom he or she is assigned.
Who deploys, directs, controls and coordinates the action of the unified combatant command's forces; conducts joint training exercises; and controls certain support functions?
The Combatant Commanders (CCDR).
The Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff (CJCS) normally manages the Joint Staff through whom?
The Director of the Joint Staff. (Whom the CJCS selects after consulting other members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) and with the approval of the SecDef.)
The Vice Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff (VCJCS) serves a tour of _____ years and may be appointed for two additional terms.
Two
Which unified combatant command is headquartered at Kelley Barracks, Stuttgart, GE?
US Africa Command (USAFRICOM). (It protects and defends US interests, strengthens the defense capabilities of African nations and conducts military missions, in cooperation with African governments, that increase security while deterring a variety of threats.)
Which US Armed Forces branch is organized, trained and equipped primarily for prompt and sustained air offensive and defensive operations?
US Air Force. (It includes all military aviation forces (combat and service) not otherwise specifically assigned.)
Which unified combatant command is responsible for achieving and maintaining cyberspace superiority in alignment with the National Security Strategy and National Defense Strategy?
US Cyber Command (USCYBERCOM). (It is headquartered at Fort Meade, MD.)
Which unified combatant command, headquartered at Patch Barracks, Stuttgart, GE, works closely with NATO countries and other partner nations?
US European Command (USEUCOM).
_____ is headquartered in Miami, FL, and oversees an Area of Responsibility (AOR) encompassing _____ nations in Latin America south of Mexico, Central and South America, and the Caribbean Sea.
US Southern Command (USSOUTHCOM); 31 nations.
Which unified combatant command conducts global operations in partnership with other combatant commands, services and US government agencies to deter and detect strategic attacks against the US?
US Strategic Command (USSTRATCOM). (It is headquartered at Offutt AFB, NE.)
Which unified combatant command is headquartered at Scott AFB, IL?
US Transportation Command (USTRANSCOM).
The Coast Guard is a service of the Department of Homeland Security, with what exception?
When operating as part of the Navy on declaration of war, or when directed by the President.
How do functional unified combatant commands operate?
World wide across geographic boundaries and provide unique capabilities to geographic combatant commands and services
