CGSC X100 COMPREHENSIVE EXAM 2026
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS GUARANTEED TO
PASS
◉ Geographic Combatant Commanders. Answer: Assigned AOR by
POTUS w/ advice of SecDef
Seven Total
(1) EUCOM, AFRICOM, SOUTHCOM, CENT, INDOPACOM,
NORTHCOM, SPACECOM
*The vital link between strategy (NSC) & the military forces operating
w/in their AORs
◉ Functional Combatant Commanders. Answer: Transregional
responsibilities; usually provide forces to GCC upon request
(1) SOCOM provides support to CENTCOM (CENTCOM would
exercise COCOM of assigned SOF and OPCON of attached SOF)
(2) STRATCOM
(3) TRANSCOM
,◉ Unified Combatant Command. Answer: Broad continuing missions
with significant elements from 2+ mil departments (established and so
designated by POTUS w/ advice from SecDef)
◉ What are the effective framing construct. Answer: Ends, Ways,
Means, Risk
◉ Ends. Answer: Where are we going (objectives)
◉ Ways. Answer: How do we get there (tasks, expressed in imperative
form of verbs..."seize to hill" "do your job")
◉ Means. Answer: What do we have to do it, where might we stumble
◉ Risk. Answer: Two methods when discussing strategy—"To"
(internal) and "From" (consequences)
(a) Strategic risk = risk to national interests - Mission
(b) Military risks = risk to mission or force - Force
◉ Systems Perspective. Answer: A way to view something complex by
breaking into parts (PMESII)
◉ Combatant Command Campaign. Answer: Military operations,
actions, and activities in a GCC's AOR, from security cooperation
,through large-scale combat, are conducted in the context of the GCC's
ongoing theater campaign
The overarching framework that synchronizes all activities and
operations within the theater to achieve theater and national strategic
objectives
◉ "Ethical Issues in War". Answer: i) Moral judgments about war fall
into categories:
(1) Jus ad bellum
(2) Jus in bello
(3) Jus post bellum
◉ Jus ad bellum. Answer: Reason for going to war (in America this is
primarily civilian leadership)
Just causes of going to war (intention, legitimate authority, formal
declaration, last resort, proportionality, goal of peace)
◉ Jus in bello. Answer: Way we conduct it (in America this is the "nuts
& bolts" that mil leaders work)
, Just ways of waging war (weapons prohibition, discrimination,
proportionality, care of POWs, no reprisals, no methods "evil in
themselves", such as rape/genocide)
◉ Jus post bellum. Answer: Justice after the war (rights vindication,
punishment of leaders/coms/noncoms)
◉ Operational Environment. Answer: Composite of the conditions,
circumstances, and influences that affect the employment of capabilities
and bear on the decisions of the commander. It encompasses physical
areas and factors of the air, land, maritime, and space domains; the
electromagnetic spectrum; and the information environment (which
includes cyberspace).
◉ "Instruments" of National Power. Answer: a) DIME (most effective in
harmony, "symphony")
i) Diplomacy
ii) Information
iii) Military
iv) Economic
*States apply DIME to strategic objectives to reach strategic ends*
◉ What defines a States. Answer: 1 -Borders/sovereignty
2 -Permanent population
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS GUARANTEED TO
PASS
◉ Geographic Combatant Commanders. Answer: Assigned AOR by
POTUS w/ advice of SecDef
Seven Total
(1) EUCOM, AFRICOM, SOUTHCOM, CENT, INDOPACOM,
NORTHCOM, SPACECOM
*The vital link between strategy (NSC) & the military forces operating
w/in their AORs
◉ Functional Combatant Commanders. Answer: Transregional
responsibilities; usually provide forces to GCC upon request
(1) SOCOM provides support to CENTCOM (CENTCOM would
exercise COCOM of assigned SOF and OPCON of attached SOF)
(2) STRATCOM
(3) TRANSCOM
,◉ Unified Combatant Command. Answer: Broad continuing missions
with significant elements from 2+ mil departments (established and so
designated by POTUS w/ advice from SecDef)
◉ What are the effective framing construct. Answer: Ends, Ways,
Means, Risk
◉ Ends. Answer: Where are we going (objectives)
◉ Ways. Answer: How do we get there (tasks, expressed in imperative
form of verbs..."seize to hill" "do your job")
◉ Means. Answer: What do we have to do it, where might we stumble
◉ Risk. Answer: Two methods when discussing strategy—"To"
(internal) and "From" (consequences)
(a) Strategic risk = risk to national interests - Mission
(b) Military risks = risk to mission or force - Force
◉ Systems Perspective. Answer: A way to view something complex by
breaking into parts (PMESII)
◉ Combatant Command Campaign. Answer: Military operations,
actions, and activities in a GCC's AOR, from security cooperation
,through large-scale combat, are conducted in the context of the GCC's
ongoing theater campaign
The overarching framework that synchronizes all activities and
operations within the theater to achieve theater and national strategic
objectives
◉ "Ethical Issues in War". Answer: i) Moral judgments about war fall
into categories:
(1) Jus ad bellum
(2) Jus in bello
(3) Jus post bellum
◉ Jus ad bellum. Answer: Reason for going to war (in America this is
primarily civilian leadership)
Just causes of going to war (intention, legitimate authority, formal
declaration, last resort, proportionality, goal of peace)
◉ Jus in bello. Answer: Way we conduct it (in America this is the "nuts
& bolts" that mil leaders work)
, Just ways of waging war (weapons prohibition, discrimination,
proportionality, care of POWs, no reprisals, no methods "evil in
themselves", such as rape/genocide)
◉ Jus post bellum. Answer: Justice after the war (rights vindication,
punishment of leaders/coms/noncoms)
◉ Operational Environment. Answer: Composite of the conditions,
circumstances, and influences that affect the employment of capabilities
and bear on the decisions of the commander. It encompasses physical
areas and factors of the air, land, maritime, and space domains; the
electromagnetic spectrum; and the information environment (which
includes cyberspace).
◉ "Instruments" of National Power. Answer: a) DIME (most effective in
harmony, "symphony")
i) Diplomacy
ii) Information
iii) Military
iv) Economic
*States apply DIME to strategic objectives to reach strategic ends*
◉ What defines a States. Answer: 1 -Borders/sovereignty
2 -Permanent population
