The Department of Defense National Command Authority (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. President CENTCOM EUCOM PACOM AFRICOM SOUTHCOM NORTHCOM Secretary of Defense UNITS: Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, & Coast Guard

National Command Authority (continued) 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). Secretary of Defense Department of the ARMY Department of the NAVY Department of the AIR FORCE Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff

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 Joe Biden John Kerry Ash Carter Military Advisor Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (CJCS) General Joseph Dunford, USMC 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 Avril Haines Loretta Lynch 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 Jack Lew Jeh Johnson W. Neil Eggleston Jeffery Zients Samantha Power Shaun Donovan Lisa Monaco

National Command Authority (Chain of Command)

Run by “Civilians” with some military

Secretary of Defense Secretary of Defense Secretary of the The Secretary of Defense by statute also exercises authority, direction & control over the three (3) Service Secretaries (civilian) of the Military Departments Secretary of Defense Secretary of the Army Secretary of the Air Force Secretary of the Navy Ashton Carter since Feb 15, 2015 The Honorable Eric K. Fanning ACTING: November 3, 2015 Deborah Lee James since: December 20, 2013 Ray Mabus since: June 18, 2009

National Command Authority (Chain of Command)

Military Service Chiefs (of Staff) Secretary of Defense Secretary of the NAVY Commandant of the MARINE CORPS Chief of NAVAL OPERATIONS Secretary of the AIR FORCE Chief of Staff of the AIR FORCE Secretary of the ARMY Chief of Staff of the ARMY GEN Mark A. Milley Gen Mark A. Welsh III ADM John M. Richardson Gen Robert B. Neller

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! NEW

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (CJCS) General Paul J. Selva (USAF) since: July 31, 2015 (new) Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Joseph Dunford (USMC) Since: September 25, 2015 (new) Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) GEN Amos ADM Greenert ADM Winnefeld GEN Dempsey GEN Odierno GEN Welsh GEN Grass USMC USN VCJCS CJCS USA USAF NGB Photo is from 2014

Chief, National Guard Bureau (NGB) - JCS Beginning in January 2012, the top National Guard Officer (Chief, National Guard Bureau) became a new member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. This was created by a provision in the 2012 National Defense Authorization Act, (NDAA) signed into law Dec. 31 by President Obama, which added the National Guard leader to the nation’s highest military advisory group. The first Chief of NGB to serve as a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff was Air Force General Craig McKinley. 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 hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee, the current 4-star generals making up the Joint Chiefs of Staff (x6) 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.