Organization and Command UPDATED
ACTUAL Exam Questions and CORRECT
Answers
(4.1) What is command authority? - CORRECT ANSWER - The established levels of
responsibility for Command, Control and Communication (C3) throughout a chain of command.
(4.1) Responsibility and authority for the US Armed Forces extends from the President through
whom? - CORRECT ANSWER - Through the SecDef, through two distinct branches of
command and through every commander at every level.
(4.1) Each level in the chain of command is _____ for all lower levels and _____ to all higher
levels. - CORRECT ANSWER - Responsible; accountable.
(4.1) What establishes the basic principle of civilian control of the armed forces? - CORRECT
ANSWER - The US Constitution.
(4.1) As Commander in Chief, the President has the final command authority. How is this
authority limited? - CORRECT ANSWER - As head of the executive branch, he or she is
subject to the "checks and balances" of the legislative and judicial branches.
(4.1) By statute, the chain of command runs from the President through the SecDef to the _____.
- CORRECT ANSWER - Combatant Commanders (CCDR)
(4.1) For all forces not assigned to the CCDRs, the chain of command runs through whom? -
CORRECT ANSWER - From the President, through the SecDef, to the Secretaries of the
military departments.
, (4.1) What allows the President to authorize communications through the Chairman, Joint Chiefs
of Staff (CJCS)? - CORRECT ANSWER - A provision of the Goldwater-Nichols DoD
Reorganization Act of 1986.
(4.2) 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. - CORRECT ANSWER - 1.3 million Regular
Force members.
(4.2) What is the DoD's mission? - CORRECT ANSWER - To provide military forces to
deter war and protect the security of our country.
(4.2) What departments form the DoD? (6 answers) - CORRECT ANSWER - - Office of
the SecDef
- Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS)
- Joint Staff
- Departments of the Army, Navy (including the US Marine Corps), and Air Force.
- Unified combatant commanders
- Forces dedicated to combined commands, defense agencies and DoD field activities
(4.2) Who is the head of the DoD? - CORRECT ANSWER - The SecDef
(4.2) Who formulates general defense policy (and policy related to all matters of direct and
primary concern to the DoD), is the civilian head of the DoD and executes approved policy as
the principal defense policy advisor to the President? - CORRECT ANSWER - The
SecDef; appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate.
(4.2) In what areas does the Armed Forces Policy Council assist the SecDef? - CORRECT
ANSWER - In matters requiring a long-range view, in formulating broad defense policy
and advises the SecDef on policies, as requested.