1. Combatant Commands and the Unified Command Plan
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Combatant Commands and the Unified Command Plan
RDML Phil Davidson
Deputy Director for Strategic Plans and Policy (J-5)
3 March 2008
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2. Organization: Combatant Commands
PRESIDENT
SecDef
Command
Communication
Chairman
JCS
Geographic Commands
Functional Commands
This shows the operational chain of command in the U.S. Armed Forces; we also have an intertwined administrative chain of command that I will show shortly
While lines of command run down from the President and Secretary, the President may direct that lines of communication may also run through the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from and to the combatant commanders. This is what the law or title 10 (code) says. The UCP, which I will talk about later, clarifies this Presidential direction that the lines of communication shall include the CJCS.
Example: orders going from the SecDef leave the NMCC, run by the Joint Staff, then released to the CCs.
CCs have missions or tasks assigned by the President or SecDef; Services fulfill broad and enduring purposes or roles
Note – Lt Gen Kehler is temporary CDRUSSTRATCOM
ADM Olson
Gen Mattis
Gen Renuart
Gen Craddock
ADM Stavridis US
Special Operations Command US
Joint Forces Command
US Northern Command
US European Command
US Southern Command
ADM Fallon
ADM Keating
Gen Schwartz
Gen Chilton
US Central Command US
Pacific Command US
Strategic Command US
Transportation Command
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3. Aligning the Combatant CommandsR A P H I C J F C O M S O C M S T R A C O M T R A N S C O M
EUCOM
CENTCOM
NORTHCOM
PACOM
SOUTHCOM
This matrix tries to show that GCCs have responsibilities that cross the functional spectrum and that FCCs have responsibilities that cross all AORs
Along with the note on Services, there could also be a Service arrow that crosses the matrix diagonally.
The intersections of the matrix are potential friction points – the critical points where responsibilities and “lanes” must be clarified – and we are seeking to define and delineate these relationships.
UCP responsibilities must consider Service roles, e.g.
F U N C T I O N A L
Though not in UCP, Services are a third dimension of the matrix organization that UCP considers
DOD is a MATRIX organization that integrates
Geographically across functions for joint warfighting
Functionally across regions for global effectiveness
The keys to matrix organization success are:
Clear responsibilities and commensurate authorities ( the UCP)
Means to resolve priorities at the “intersections” ( “supported / supporting”)
Effective coordination and communication ( SecDef, JS and CC-CC coord)
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4. Unified Command Plan
USC Title 10, Sec 161 directs the Chairman “to periodically review (not less often than every two years) the missions, responsibilities (including geographic boundaries), and force structure of each combatant command; and recommend to the President, through the Secretary of Defense, any changes to such missions, responsibilities, and force structures as may be necessary.”
The Unified Command Plan is the vehicle by which this is accomplished
How do we get there?
This slide explains that we have a UCP because of the Chairman’s responsibility to review the missions, responsibilities (including AORs) and force structure of the combatant commands.
Purpose: Establishes the (1) missions, (2) responsibilities, and (3) geographic areas of responsibility for combatant commanders
Signed by the President
As a note, the force structure is delineated in the SecDef’s “Forces For” memorandum, but the document that imfluences the memorandum the most is the UCP.
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5. History
Strategic Air Command
established as first
combatant command
under JCS control
-- PACOM, EUCOM, LANTCOM, and CARIBCOM with Service Chiefs as JCS Executive Agents
National Security Act
14 Dec 1946
1947
1952
Service Secretaries become
SecDef Executive Agents
1954
1958
Established USEUCOM
DOD Reorganization Act
- SECDEF Direction of CINCs
- CINCs Perform Missions
1962
Established STRICOM
1963
1972
STRICOM became REDCOM
CARIBCOM became SOUTHCOM
1980
RDJTF under REDCOM
Goldwater-Nichols Act
1983
RDJTF became CENTCOM
1985
Established TRANSCOM
1986
Established SPACECOM
Established STRATCOM
1987
This slide summarizes history of UCP as it has evolved since The point here is that the UCP changes as the needs of the nation and military change. It’s a living document.
President Truman signed the first, the Outline Command Plan, in December of 1946, in fact the 58th birthday party is in 5 days.
SAC, which was already an element of the Air Corps, became the first combatant command reporting directly to the JCS on 14 Dec 46. Geographic combatant commanders quickly followed suit.
4 Highlights: NSA of 1947 established the position of Secretary of Defense and institutionalized JCS and Staff; for the first time it provided statutory basis for establishment of combatant commands
1953-strengthened civilian control of the military by transferring unified commands from JCS to SecDef; Ike makes Secretaries EAs in an effort to further strengthen civilian control over mil (campaign promise); could delegate to SVC Chfs
1958-Defense Reorganization Act-saw the end of Executive Agency and placed JCS back in operational chain; most importantly, it established new chain of command from NCA through the JCS to the Unified/Specified commanders
1986-G-N Reorganization Act-above all, increased authority of the combatant commands (by removing the JCS) and established COCOM authority
Fast Forward to 2004: there is a push for a major change now, one called “Beyond Goldwater-Nichols” (affectionately known as BGN)….with a focus on interagency reform…with enough traction maybe we’ll see something by the end of the decade (this note was the thought a few years back, though IA reform is still discussed in many circles).
It is interesting to note that first three decades focused on geographic combatant commands, altering boundaries between five principal areas of strategic importance. In the last fifteen years the focus has shifted to functional combatant commands, in recognition that some functions are better handled on a global basis, rather than regionally. Hence, Space Command, Special Operations Command, Transportation Command, Strategic Command and Joint Forces Command. Today, there is ongoing discussion as to whether the functional combatant commanders are gaining too much ground at the expense of the geographic combatant commanders; for example, STRATCOM’s Global strike mission could envision a scenario which crosses one or more AORs. There has been a lot of discussion lately whether or not these “functional” combatant commanders should be called functional or global.
Nunn-Cohen Act / SOCOM
1992
LANTCOM became USACOM
1993
FSU Newly Independent
States Assigned
USACOM / SOUTHCOM AOR Shift
1995
1998
Established NORTHCOM and
assigned all regions of the globe
SPACECOM / STRATCOM merger
1999
USACOM became JFCOM
2002
JFCOM purely functional
2004
STRATCOM lead for CWMD/GIG ops
TRANSCOM Mob JFP/SOCOM SOF JFP
Four new STRATCOM missions
2006
SOCOM lead against terrorists; JFCOM JFP
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6. Common Combatant Command Responsibilities
UCP Missions
Deterring attacks against US
Carrying out assigned missions / conducting military operations
Directing subordinate commands
Maintaining force protection
Certifying readiness to perform as JTF
Providing trained and ready forces
Planning, conducting, assessing security cooperation activities
In coordination with NORTHCOM, planning for and responding to Pandemic Influenza (UCP 2008)
Planning for and conducting military support to SSTR operations, humanitarian assistance, and disaster relief, as directed (UCP 2008)
This covers the UCP responsibilities that are common to ALL combatant commands, GCCs and FCCs alike. Of note, UCP 2006 lists these all in paragraph 10 while the current draft of UCP 2008 lists these separately in each combatant commander’s section.
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7. Geographic Combatant Commands (GCCs) 2006 UCP Map
The UCP map. Changes in UCP 2006 included the NORTHCOM / SOUTHCOM Caribbean boundary (to include most all islands in SOUTHCOM) and the PACOM/NORTHCOM Alaska boundary (to include all of the Aleutian Islands in the NORTHCOM AOR).
Cross-hatching due to political reasons and to emphasize that when NORTHCOM stood up, Alaska became part of its AOR (previously PACOM), but the forces remained assigned to PACOM.
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8. Common GCC Responsibilities
UCP Missions
Evacuation / Protection of US citizens
Military representation to national / international agencies
Single POC on military matters within AOR (excluding the U.S.)
COCOM of security assistance organizations in time of war
COCOM of US peace or humanitarian relief operations (when directed)
POC for Combating WMD activities and missions in AOR (excluding the U.S.)
Force protection for all US military forces in AOR
Recovery of astronauts / space vehicles
Establishing and maintaining a Standing Joint Force Headquarters – Core Element (SJFHQ-CE)
Common responsibilities among GCCs included in para 11. Again, the UCP 2008 draft has these listed separately for each GCC.
Note at the bottom is one of the most overlooked paragraphs of the UCP (para 12). Combatant commanders can cross AOR boundaries to conduct missions. When significant operations overlap AORs, a task force will be formed.
“Delineation of general geographic AORs is intended to provide a basis for coordination by Combatant Commanders. These geographic AORs…are not restrictive for accomplishment of assigned missions. Combatant commanders may operate forces wherever required to accomplish their missions.”
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9. Specific GCC Responsibilities
USNORTHCOM
Provide Defense Support to Civil Authorities (DSCA)
Serve as Commander North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) and USELEMNORAD Commander
Serve as lead CCDR for Pandemic Influenza response (UCP 2008)
USPACOM
Provide DSCA
Conduct NEO, counter-terrorism planning for diplomatic missions, and force protection in Russian Federation east of 100oE
USSOUTHCOM
Defend Panama Canal and Panama Canal area
Specific responsibilities of GCCs
Only NORTHCOM, PACOM and SOUTHCOM have DSCA responsibilities
All GCCs do NEO, but this points out that PACOM does NEO in a EUCOM assigned country
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10. Specific FCC Responsibilities
USJFCOM
Serving as Primary Joint Force Provider and Joint Force Enabler (UCP 2008)
Leading Joint Concept Development and Experimentation, Joint Force Training, and Joint Force Integration
USSOCOM
Serving as Special Operations Forces Joint Force Provider
Serving as lead for planning, synchronizing, and as directed, executing global ops against terrorist networks
Training and developing strategy, doctrine, and tactics for SOF
Integrating / coordinating DOD PSYOP capabilities
USTRANSCOM
Serving as the Mobility Joint Force Provider
Serving as Distribution Process Owner
Specific responsibilities of GCCs
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11. Specific FCC Responsibilities
STRATCOM (2006)
Maintaining primary responsibility for strategic nuclear forces to support nuclear deterrence
Providing integrated global strike planning and C2
Exercising C2 of selected global strike missions
Developing desired characteristics and capabilities, advocating, planning and conducting space operations
Planning, integrating and coordinating global missile defense
Planning, integrating and coordinating intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance in support of global ops
Tasking and coordinating C4ISR capabilities
Integrating and coordinating DOD info ops, computer network attack, computer network defense, electronic warfare, psychological ops, and military deception
Planning, integrating and coordinating DOD global network operations by directing Global Information Grid (GIG) ops and defense
Serving as lead for integrating and synchronizing DOD Combating WMD efforts
Providing assistance to GCCs on consequence management operations in response to chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and high-yield explosive incidents outside CONUS
STRATCOM’s unique responsibilities. Over the last 5 years, STRATCOM’s role has continued to expand and, as GCCs feel, infringe on the responsibilities of GCCs. Network Ops / Cyberspace will be one of the biggest issues for UCP 2008.
Question: What is DNI’s role in cyberspace / GIG ops?
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12. Specific FCC Responsibilities
STRATCOM (2008, Proposed)
Strategic Deterrence: Deters arracks against U.S. vital interests
Nuclear Operations:
Plans for operations and employs forces to support strategic deterrence
Advocates for nuclear capabilities
Space Operations:
Plans and conducts space operations
Advocates for space capabilities
DOD manager for manned space flight operations
Provides warning of attack on space assets
Cyberspace Operations:
Plans, coordinates, and conducts cyberspace operations
Advocates for cyberspace capabilities
Global Strike:
Plans, coordinates, and conducts Global Strike
Advocates for Global Strike capabilities
STRATCOM’s unique responsibilities. Over the last 5 years, STRATCOM’s role has continued to expand and, as GCCs feel, infringe on the responsibilities of GCCs. Network Ops / Cyberspace will be one of the biggest issues for UCP 2008.
Question: What is DNI’s role in cyberspace / GIG ops?
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13. Specific FCC Responsibilities
STRATCOM (2008, Proposed)
Missile Defense:
Planning and synchronizing Global Missile Defense operations
Providing alternate global missile defense execution capability as directed to ensure continuity of operations
Developing missile defense CONOPS
Advocating for missile defense and missile warning capabilities
SR:
Plans and coordinates surveillance and reconnaissance in support of global ops
Recommending allocation of SR assets
Advocating for SR capabilities
CWMD:
Integrating DoD CWMD plans
Advocating for CWMD capabilities
MILDEC:
Supports planning of MILDEC for all CCDRs
STRATCOM’s unique responsibilities. Over the last 5 years, STRATCOM’s role has continued to expand and, as GCCs feel, infringe on the responsibilities of GCCs. Network Ops / Cyberspace will be one of the biggest issues for UCP 2008.
Question: What is DNI’s role in cyberspace / GIG ops?
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14. AFRICOM 2008
We put the AFRICOM slides in the brief simply because it’s on everyone’s minds.
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15. AFRICOM President Bush directed the establishment of US Africa Command
“This new command will strengthen our security cooperation with Africa and help to create new opportunities to bolster the capabilities of our partners in Africa. Africa Command will enhance our efforts to help bring peace and security to the people of Africa and promote our common goals of development, health, education, democracy, and economic growth in Africa.”
President George Bush
February 7, 2007
President Bush directed the establishment of US Africa Command
We are consulting with Congress, the Interagency, and our key friends, partners, and allies
With their help, we are creating a new command that will address the unique challenges and opportunities in Africa
POTUS’ press release. Memo was signed 15 Dec 2006.
AFRICOM will reach Initial Operating Capability (IOC) as a sub-unified command on 01 Oct 2007 within EUCOM. AFRICOM is expected to reach FOC and become a unified command on 30 Sep 2008.
U.S. Africa Command will support U.S. Government activities across Africa to:
Integrate US Interagency efforts
Assist diplomacy and development efforts
Will consolidate the African responsibilities of three commands into one
Goal is significant inter-agency representation from the beginning
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16. Proposed 2008 UCP Map
The UCP map. Changes in UCP 2006 included the NORTHCOM / SOUTHCOM Caribbean boundary (to include most all islands in SOUTHCOM) and the PACOM/NORTHCOM Alaska boundary (to include all of the Aleutian Islands in the NORTHCOM AOR).
Cross-hatching due to political reasons and to emphasize that when NORTHCOM stood up, Alaska became part of its AOR (previously PACOM), but the forces remained assigned to PACOM.
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17. AFRICOM Tasks
Work with African states, regional organizations, and other partners to:
Build Partnership Capacity
Support USG agencies in implementing security policies
Conduct Theater Security Cooperation activities
Increase partner counter-terrorism skills
Enhance humanitarian assistance, disaster mitigation, and response activities
Foster respect for human rights
Support African regional organizations
As directed, conduct military operations
Key points:
The key here is that AFRICOM is to focus on non-kinetic missions vice major operations.
Examples of Theater Security Cooperation is:
Military to military exchanges and training exercises.
Military HIV/AIDS prevention programs. This is where US military provides training and education to partner African militaries to reduce the spread of AIDS
International Military Education and Training. African officers and non-commissioned officers receive training and education at US military institutions or by US military instructors
Question: Why was Egypt left in CENTCOM’s AOR?
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18. Questions?
How do GCC roles/boundaries affect ISAF/MNFI?
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19. Backup Slides
How do GCC roles/boundaries affect ISAF/MNFI?
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20. Organization: Combatant Commands
PRESIDENT
SecDef
Command
Communication
Chairman
JCS
Geographic Commands
Functional Commands
This shows the operational chain of command in the U.S. Armed Forces; we also have an intertwined administrative chain of command that I will show shortly
While lines of command run down from the President and Secretary, the President may direct that lines of communication may also run through the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from and to the combatant commanders. This is what the law or title 10 (code) says. The UCP, which I will talk about later, clarifies this Presidential direction that the lines of communication shall include the CJCS.
Example: orders going from the SecDef leave the NMCC, run by the Joint Staff, then released to the CCs.
CCs have missions or tasks assigned by the President or SecDef; Services fulfill broad and enduring purposes or roles
Note – Lt Gen Kehler is temporary CDRUSSTRATCOM
ADM Olson
Gen Smith
Gen Renuart
Gen Craddock
ADM Stavridis US
Special Operations Command US
Joint Forces Command
US Northern Command
US European Command
US Southern Command
ADM Fallon
GEN Ward
ADM Keating
Gen Schwartz
Lt Gen Kehler
US Central Command
US Africa Command US
Pacific Command US
Strategic Command US
Transportation Command
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21. Proposed Area of Responsibility
Today
At Full Operational Capability
USNORTHCOM
USNORTHCOM
USEUCOM
USEUCOM
USCENTCOM
USCENTCOM
USAFRICOM
This proposed AOR has not been approved. Pre-decisional only.
USSOUTHCOM
USSOUTHCOM
USPACOM
USPACOM
Draft Pre-decisional Working Papers, not subject to FOIA Requirements
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22. Aligning the Combatant Commands
EUCOM G E O R A P H I C J F C O M S O C M S T R A C O M T R A N S C O M
CENTCOM
NORTHCOM
PACOM
SOUTHCOM
AFRICOM
This matrix tries to show that GCCs have responsibilities that cross the functional spectrum and that FCCs have responsibilities that cross all AORs
Along with the note on Services, there could also be a Service arrow that crosses the matrix diagonally.
The intersections of the matrix are potential friction points – the critical points where responsibilities and “lanes” must be clarified – and we are seeking to define and delineate these relationships.
UCP responsibilities must consider Service roles, e.g.
F U N C T I O N A L
Though not in UCP, Services are a third dimension of the matrix organization that UCP considers
DOD is a MATRIX organization that integrates
Geographically across functions for joint warfighting
Functionally across regions for global effectiveness
The keys to matrix organization success are:
Clear responsibilities and commensurate authorities ( the UCP)
Means to resolve priorities at the “intersections” ( “supported / supporting”)
Effective coordination and communication ( SecDef, JS and CC-CC coord)
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23. JFCOM Unique Responsibilities
Leading Joint Concept Development and Experimentation
Serving as lead Joint Force Integrator
Serving as lead agent for Joint Force Training
Leading development of joint readiness standards for staffs and headquarters
Serving as Primary Joint Force Provider and Joint Force Enabler (UCP 2008)
JFCOM unique responsibilities
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24. SOCOM Unique Responsibilities
Serving as Special Operations Forces Joint Force Provider
Serving as lead for planning, synchronizing, and as directed, executing global ops against terrorist networks
Training and developing strategy, doctrine, and tactics for SOF
Integrating / coordinating DOD PSYOP capabilities
Exercising command and control of selected special operations missions, as directed
Unique responsibilities for SOCOM. Expect this to be one of the hottest areas for UCP GCCs feel that SOCOM infringes on GCC responsibilities with their role in executing global ops against terrorist networks.
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25. TRANSCOM Unique Responsibilities
Providing transportation, terminal management and aerial refueling to support global deployment of US forces
Serving as the Mobility Joint Force Provider
Providing DOD global patient movement
Serving as Distribution Process Owner
TRANSCOM unique responsibilities.
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26. Organization: Military Departments
Secretary of Defense
OSD
Secretary
of the Army
Secretary
of the Navy
Secretary
of the Air Force
Chairman JCS
Gen Pace
Chief of Staff
of the Army
GEN Casey
Chief of Naval
Operations
ADM Mullen
Commandant
Marine Corps
Gen Conway
Chief of Staff
of the Air Force
Gen Moseley
The Services fulfill their legally established roles given as specific responsibilities or functions by the President or Secretary—that is summarized to train, equip, and provide forces for use in CC missions
In all honesty, we should add SOCOM here, because they are a hybrid:
They are a combatant command that has command authority over subordinate commands
But, as are like a Service in that they have a specific function to prepare special operations forces to carry out assigned missions; I.e. train, equip, and provide
ARMY
NAVY
MARINES
AIR FORCE
9 Combatant Commands
Forces assigned to Combatant Commands
and their administration & support
Train, Equip, Provide
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