DEFENSE ACQUISITION UNIVERSITY CON 170 MIDTERM EXAM COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW GUIDE 2026

DEFENSE ACQUISITION UNIVERSITY CON 170
MIDTERM EXAM COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW
GUIDE 2026

◉ Multinational Doctrine Answer: Fundamental principles that
guide the employment of forces of TWO OR MORE NATIONS toward
a common objective. RATIFIED BY THE NATIONS


◉ Joint Doctrine Answer: Fundamental principles that guide the
employment of US MILITARY forces in coordinated action toward a
common objective, promulgated by the Chairman, Joint Chiefs of
Staff


◉ Multiservice Doctrine Answer: Fundamental principles that guide
the employment of forces of TWO OR MORE SERVICES in
coordinated action towards a common objective. SIGNATORY
SERVICES ARE THE PROPONENTS


◉ Service Doctrine Answer: Fundamental principles that guide the
employment of forces of a SINGLE SERVICE. Prepared under
direction of the Service Cheifs of Stff

,◉ Unified Action Answer: The synchronization, coordination, and/or
integration of the activities of governmental and non-governmental
entities with military operation to ACHEIVE UNITY OF EFFORT.


◉ Unity of Command Answer: All forces operate under a single
commander with the requisite authority to direct all forces
employed in pursuit of a common purpose


◉ Unity of Effort Answer: coordination and cooperation toward
common objectives, even if the participants are not of the same
command or organization (product of unified action)


◉ Types of Command Relationships Answer: 1. COCOM (Combatant
Command)
2. OPCON (Operational Control)
3. TACON (Tactical Control)
4. Support


◉ COCOM (Combatant Command) Answer: Authority over assigned
forces, vested in only in the commanders of combatant commands
and CANNOT BE DELEGATED OR TRANSFERRED.


◉ OPCON (Operational Control) Answer: Authority to perform those
functions of command over subordinate forces involving
ORGANIZING AND EMPLOYING COMMANDS AND FORCES, assigning

,tasks, designating objectives, and giving authoritative direction
necessary to accomplish the mission.


◉ TACON (Tactical Control) Answer: Authority over forces that is
LIMITED TO THE DETAILED DIRECTION AND CONTROL OF
MOVEMENTS AND MANEUVERS within the operational area. DOES
NOT provide the authority to add to or change the function of the
subordinate commander


◉ Support (CMD Relationship) Answer: A SUPPORT RELATIONSHIP
IS ESTABLISHED BY A COMMON SUPERIOR COMMANDER between
subordinate commanders when one organization should AID,
PROTECT, COMPLEMENT, OR SUSTAIN ANOTHER FORCE.
-Supported: what, where, when
-Supporting: who and how


◉ Two Distinct Chain of Command Branches Answer: Operational
and Administrative


◉ Operational Chain of Command Answer: Authority, direction, and
control of operational forces through Combatant Commanders
(CCDR) utilizing the following chain of command
1. President of the United States
2. Secretary of Defense
---------Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in an advisory role

, 3. Combatant Commanders
4. Service Component Commands


◉ Administrative Chain of Command Answer: Authority and control
of forces through Service Secretaries utilizing the following chain of
command
1. President of the United States
2. Secretary of Defense
---------Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in an advisory role
3. Secretaries of Military Departments
4. Service Chiefs
5. (ADCON) Commander of Military Service Forces


◉ Identify The Four Positions that may Create a Joint Task Force
Answer: 1) Secretary of Defense
2) Geographic Combatant Commander
3) Subunified Commander
4) Existing Joint Task Force Commander


◉ Seven Tenets of Air and Space Power Answer: 1. Centralized
Control/Decentralized Execution
2. Flexibility & Versatility
3. Synergistic Effects