DoD-NCA-Class1

The Department of Defense (DoD) & the National Command Authority

National Command Authority (Chain of Command)  The President is the Commander-in-Chief of the U.S. military iaw the U.S. Constitution.  The current command structure of the Department of Defense is defined by the Goldwater-Nichols Act of 1986 , signed into law by President Ronald Reagan on 1 October 1986.  The Act reworked the command structure of the United States military, introducing the most sweeping changes to the Department since it was established in the National Security Act of 1947.

National Command Authority (continued)  Under the act, the chain of command runs from the President of the United States, through the Secretary of Defense, to the combatant commanders (COCOM) who command all military forces within their area of responsibility.  The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (CJCS) & the military service Chiefs of Staff (Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines) are responsible for readiness of the U.S. military and serve as the President's military advisers, but are NOT in the chain of command. The CJCS is by law the highest ranking military officer in the United States.  Each military service is responsible for organizing, training & equipping military units for the commanders of the various Unified Combatant Commands (combatant commanders; COCOM).

National Command Authority (Chain of Command)

National Security Council (Presidents Advisors)  The National Security Council was created in 1947 by the National Security Act. The White House National Security Council (NSC) is the principal forum used by the President for considering national security & foreign policy matters with his senior national security advisors & Cabinet officials and is part of the Executive Office of the President of the United States.  Since its inception under Harry S. Truman, the function of the Council has been to advise and assist the president on national security and foreign policies.  The Council also serves as the president's principal arm for coordinating these policies among various government agencies.  The U.S. Council has counterparts in the national security councils of many other nations.

National Security Council (Presidents Advisors) TITLE

POSITION

WHO

Chairman

President

Barack Obama

Statutory Attendees

Vice President Secretary of State Secretary of Defense Secretary of Energy

Joe Biden John Kerry Chuck Hagel Ernest Moniz

Military Advisor Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (CJCS)

General Martin Dempsey, USA

Intelligence Advisor

Director of National Intelligence Director of CIA

Lt. Gen (R) James Clapper John O. Brennan

Regular Attendees

National Security Advisor White House Chief of Staff Deputy National Security Advisor Attorney General

Susan Rice Denis McDonough Tony Blinken Eric Holder

Additional Participants

Secretary of the Treasury Secretary of Homeland Security Counsel to the President Asst. to the President for Economic Policy Ambassador to the United Nations Director of Office of Management & Budget Homeland Security Advisor

Tim Geithner Jeh Johnson Kathryn Ruemmler Gene Sperling Samantha Power Sylvia Mathews Burwell Lisa Monaco

National Command Authority (Chain of Command)

Run by “Civilians” with some military

Secretary of Defense The Secretary of Defense by statute also exercises authority, direction & control over the three (3) Service Secretaries (civilian) of the Military Departments Chuck Hagel since Feb 27, 2013

Secretary of the Army

The Honorable John M. McHugh since: September 21, 2009

Secretary of Defense Secretary of the Air Force

Eric Fanning since: June 21, 2013 (Acting)

Secretary of the Navy

Ray Mabus since: June 18, 2009

National Command Authority (Chain of Command)

Military Service Chiefs (of Staff) Secretary of Defense Secretary of the ARMY

Secretary of the AIR FORCE

Chief of Staff of the ARMY

Chief of Staff of the AIR FORCE

GEN Raymond T. Odierno

Gen Mark A. Welsh III

Secretary of the NAVY Chief of NAVAL OPERATIONS

ADM Jonathan W. Greenert

Commandant of the MARINE CORPS

Gen James F. Amos

National Command Authority (Chain of Command)

Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS)

* The Military Service Chiefs (Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines) report to the Service Secretaries, NOT the CJCS!

Chief, NGB

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (CJCS)

United States Army General Martin E. Dempsey, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

ADM James A. Winnefeld, Jr. since: August 4, 2011 Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff

Chief, National Guard Bureau (NGB) - JCS Top Guard officer joins Joint Chiefs of Staff Posted : Wednesday Jan 4, 2012 10:43:26 EST The National Guard Bureau’s top officer is now a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. A provision in the 2012 National Defense Authorization Act, (NDAA) signed into law Dec. 31 by President Obama, adds the Guard leader to the nation’s highest military advisory group. As of Tuesday, the biography of the current chief of the Guard, Air Force Gen. Craig McKinley, was on the Joint Chiefs website, alongside bios for the other military service chiefs. The addition of the top Guard officer to the Joint Chiefs of Staff has been hailed by Guard historians as the “most significant development” since the Militia Act of 1903 codified the modern day dual-status structure of the Guard, according to a statement from the Guard Bureau.

Chief, NGB – JCS Debate During the Nov. 10 hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee, the six (6) four-star generals voiced opposition to the proposal, saying it would create needless confusion and reduce their authority. “There is no compelling military need for this change,” Army Gen. Martin Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs, said at the time. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta also opposed the measure, telling reporters in October that membership on the Joint Chiefs should “be reserved for those who have direct command and direct budgets that deal with the military.” Traditionally, the Guard chief attended Joint Chiefs of Staff meetings but was not a voting member. However, “voting” is not a central role for the Joint Chiefs, which typically seeks to reach consensus and make unanimous recommendations. NOTE: NGB is ONLY Army & Air Force National Guard.

National Command Authority (Chain of Command)

COMBAT

“JOINT” Unified Combatant Commands

GEN Lloyd Austin, USA GEN Charles H. Jacoby, Jr., USA GEN Phillip Breedlove, USAF

ADM Samuel J. Locklear, USN

Gen John F. Kelly, USMC

GEN David Rodriquez, USA

 A Unified Combatant Command (UCC) is a US joint military command that is composed of forces from 2 or more services and has a broad and continuing mission.  These commands are established to provide effective command and control of U.S. military forces, regardless of branch of service, in peace and war.