DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE ORGANIZATION questions with answers 2023

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE ORGANIZATION questions with answers 2023Secretary of Defense Responsible to the President for creating, supporting, and employing military capabilities • Provides authoritative direction and control over the Services • Exercises control of, and authority over, those forces not specifically assigned to combatant commands • Administers authority through the military departments, the Service Chiefs, and applicable chains of command Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Principal military adviser to the President, the NSC, and the Secretary of Defense (SecDef) • Functions under the authority of the President and the direction and control of the President and SecDef • Oversees the activities of the combatant commanders (CCDRs) as directed by the SecDef • Transmits communications between the President or the SecDef and the CCDRs Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) is the principal staff element of the Secretary of Defense in the exercise of policy development, planning, resource management, fiscal and program evaluation and oversight, and interface and exchange with other US Government (USG) departments and agencies, foreign governments, and international organizations, through formal and informal processes. • also performs oversight and management of the defense agencies and DOD field activities • 17 Defense Agencies • 11 Field Activities Unified Combatant Commands Exercise combatant command (command authority) (COCOM) over assigned forces • Responsible to the President and SecDef for the performance of assigned missions and preparedness of their commands to perform assigned missions • 6 Geographic Cmds • 3 Functional Cmds • Service Components Military Departments Headed by civilian secretaries (Army, Navy, Air Force) • Organize, train, and equip forces to operate across the range of military operations • Provide for the administration and support of all those forces within their department, including those assigned or attached to combatant commanders (CCDRs) Authority and Control within DOD/Branches of the Chain of Command The President, through the SecDef, to CCDRs for missions and forces assigned to their commands • For purposes other than operational direction of forces, President, through the SecDef, to the secretaries of the military departments Authority and Control of Military Departments Operate under the authority, direction, and control of the applicable Secretary • Department secretaries exercise authority through their respective Service Chiefs of Staff (Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) for the Navy) over Service forces NOT assigned to the CCDRs • Service chiefs perform their duties under the authority, direction and control of their respective secretaries Authority and Control of Combatant Commanders (CCDRs) Exercise combatant command (command authority) (COCOM) of assigned forces • Are directly responsible to the President and SecDef for the performance of assigned missions and their commands' preparedness • Prescribe the chain of command within their combatant commands • Designate the appropriate command authority to be exercised by subordinate commanders • Commanders in the chain of command exercise COCOM, operational control (OPCON), tactical control (TACON) or a support command relationship as prescribed by law or designated by their military superior. • Unless otherwise directed, COCOM is reserved for the CCDR over designated forces. Authority and Control of the Secretaries of the Military Departments Exercise administrative control (ADCON) through the commanders of Service component commands (SCCs) assigned to combatant commands • Exercise ADCON through the Service chiefs for forces not assigned to combatant commands • In coordination with other department secretaries and with the CCDRs, administer, support, organize, train, equip and provide forces to fulfill specific roles Who is the principal military advisor to the President, the NSC? Chairman of the JCS Who maintains Administrative control for forces assigned to combatant commanders? ADCON for forces assigned to combatant commanders remains with the appropriate Service secretary Army Roles per US Code Title 10 It is the intent of Congress to provide an Army that is capable, in conjunction with the other armed forces, of— (1) preserving the peace and security, and providing for the defense, of the United States, the Commonwealths and possessions, and any areas occupied by the United States; (2) supporting the national policies; (3) implementing the national objectives; and, (4) overcoming any nations responsible for aggressive acts that imperil the peace and security of the United States." Joint Staff • Assists the Chairman with the unified strategic direction, operations and integration • Assesses Service programs and budgets and identifies alternatives • Identifies and assesses joint warfighting capabilities and acquisition requirements • Develops joint doctrine Functions of the Military Departments • Recruit • Service • Organize • Mobilize • Supply • Demobilize • Equip • Administer • Train • Maintain • Construct, outfit, and repair equipment • Construct, maintain, and repair building Functions of Combatant Commanders (CCDRs) Direct subordinate commands and forces to carry out assigned missions, to include all aspects of military operations, joint training and logistics • Prescribe the chain of command within the combatant command • Organize commands and forces as necessary to carry out assigned missions • Employ forces as necessary to carry out assigned missions • Assign command functions to subordinate commanders • Coordinate and approve aspects of administration, support, and discipline necessary to carry out assigned missions • Select subordinate commanders and combatant command staff, suspend subordinates, and convene courts-martial Who communicates instructions from the SecDef to the Combatant Commanders? Instructions to CCDRs from the SecDef are transmitted to the CCDRs through the CJCS. Unified Command Plan (UCP) The document, approved by the President, that sets forth basic guidance to all unified combatant commanders • Establishes their missions, responsibilities, and force structure • Delineates the general geographical area of responsibility for geographic combatant commanders • Specifies functional responsibilities for functional combatant commanders Who approves of the UCP? The SecDef approves the UCP after it is staffed by OSD and forwards it through the National Security Council (NSC) to the President for approval and signature.