Why are there two chains of command within the USMC and what purpose do they serve?
Service Chain of Command
“Responsible for readiness - taking care of personnel, education, training, repairs, and supply chain”
- Used for things that are specifically inherent to the Marine corps.
- Purchasing new AAVs
- Establishing rules for the use of tuition assistance.
- Other administrative decisions that only affect the Marine Corps
Operational Chain of Command
“Responsible for carrying out specific missions such as operations and exercises”
- Used to direct forces in conjunction with operational or functional missions
- Often this involves other services outside of the Marines Corps
- Bottom line: Operational CoC makes decisions for missions and forces assigned to their commands
Service Chain of Command
The Service chain begins with the President, through the Secretary of Defense, and continues through the Secretary of the Navy and the Commandant of the Marine Corps.
- POTUS – Joseph Biden
- SECDEF – Honorable Lloyd J. Austin
- SECNAV – Honorable Carlos Del Toro
- Chief of Naval Operations – ADM Michael M. Gilday
- Commandant of the Marines Corps – Gen. David H. Berger
- USINDOPACOM – ADM John C. Aquilino
- MARFORPAC – Lt. Gen Steven R. Rudder
- III MEF CO – LtGen James W. Bierman
- 3DMARDIV CG – MajGen Bargeron
Operational Chain of Command
The operational chain runs from the President, through the Secretary of Defense, directly to commanders of combatant commands for missions and forces assigned to their commands.
- POTUS – Joseph Biden
- SECDEF – Honorable Lloyd J. Austin
- USINDOPACOM – ADM John C. Aquilino
- MARFORPAC – Lt. Gen Steven R. Rudder
- III MEF CO – LtGen James W. Bierman
- 3DMARDIV CO – MajGen Bargeron
Secretary of Defense
SECDEF: Honorable Lloyd J. Austin III
Directly responsible to the president
“authority, direction, and control over the Dept of Defense”
- Principal assistant to the President in all matters relating to DoD.
- Command & Control over all DoD forces (every military branch) for both operational and service/administrative chains of command.
C2 over all DoD forces (Army, Navy, AF, and Marines) for both operational and administrative purposes
Secretary of the Navy
SECNAV: Honorable Carlos Del Toro
Directly responsible to the SECDEF
- Responsible for conducting the affairs of the Department of the Navy
- Recruiting, organizing, supplying, equipping, training, mobilizing, and demobilizing
- Overseas construction and repair of naval ships, equipment, and facilities.
SECNAV is responsible for the formulation and implementation of policies and programs that are consistent with the national security policies and objectives established by the President and the Secretary of Defense.
Combatant Commands
Marine forces are assigned to each of the regional unified combatant commands by SECDEF
USMC maintains component headquarters at each of the regional unified combatant commands
The USMC component commander deals directly with the joint foces command (JFC) in matters affecting MARFOR. He commands, trains, equips, and sustains MARFOR.
Commandant of the Marine Corps
Highest ranking officer of the USMC (General David H. Berger)
Directly responsible to the Secretary of the Navy for the administration, discipline, internal organization, training requirements, efficiency, and readiness of the Marine Corps; the operation of the Marine Corps materiel support system; and the total performance of the Marine Corps.
member of the joint chiefs of staff - no operational command authority
Marine Corps Forces
The Marine Corps’ operating forces consist of:
- Marine Corps forces (MARFOR)
- Marine Corps security forces (MCSF) at naval installations
- Marine security guard detachments at embassies and consulates around the globe.
Marine Expeditionary Force
- The MEF is the principal USMC warfighting organization
- Capable of missions across the range of military ops, through amphib assaults and sustained ops ashore in any environment
- with appropriate augmentation, the MEF CE is capable of performing as a JTF HQ
Discuss the concept of supporting and supported relationships
- Command relationships are not necessarily identical for all MAGTF elements. Relationships established within the MAGTF are framed in terms of command or support.
- MAGTF elements may be organic to the MAGTF, attached, or tasked to provide support.
- When a Marine unit is under the command of a senior Marine unit, the subordinate Marine unit is either organic or attached.
- *Support relationships are established when one element or unit of the MAGTF provides a required capability to another element.**
- The element making the main effort is designated as the supported element
- Other elements are designated as supporting
Combatant Command (COCOM)
Combatant Command (COCOM)
There are 10 unified Combatant Commands. 6 have regional responsibilities, and 4 have functional responsibilities.
- Geographic combatant commanders are assigned a geographic Area of Responsibility (AOR).
- Functional combatant commanders support geographic combatant commanders, conduct operations, and may be designated as the supported combatant commander (main effort) for an operation.
-The commanders of combatant commands exercise Combatant Command (COCOM) of assigned forces, and are directly responsible for the performance of assigned missions and the preparedness of their commands.
Unified Combatant Commands
Regional Responsibilities
Regional Responsibilities:
USCENTCOM – United States Central Command
USEUCOM – United States European Command
USAFRICOM – United States African Command
USINDOPACOM – United States Indo-Pacific Command
USNORTHCOM – United States Northern Command
USSOUTHCOM – United States Southern Command
Unified Combatant Commands
Functional Responsibilities
Functional Responsibilities:
USSOCOM – United States Special Operations Command
USSTRATCOM – United States Strategic Command
USTRANSCOM – United States Transportation Command
Reserve Affairs Worldwide Support – Reserve and National Guard
Administrative Control
(ADCON)
-Authority over subordinate or other organizations in respect to administration and support.
Authority in respect to administration, support, training, personnel, readiness, and discipline.
-MAGTF commanders will normally have ADCON over all organic and attached Marine Corps forces, but not over assigned or attached forces from other services.
ADCON indicates that a unit is under the conditional control of another commander with respect to administrative matters.
Example: A tank company is attached to an infantry battalion less ADCON (personnel and logistics is retained by the tank battalion)
Also – Col Harvey has ADCON over OSCAR – he can move us wherever he wants to
Operational Control
(OPCON)
-Command authority that may be exercised by commanders to organize and employ commands and forces, assign tasks, designate objectives, and give authoritative direction necessary to accomplish the mission.
- can split up unit
- MARFORPAC has OPCON over III MEF
Tactical Control
(TACON)
Detailed Direction and control of movements or maneuvers within the operational area necessary to accomplish assigned missions.
Example: A MEF has TACON over an allied infantry regiment.
Direct Liaison Authorized
DIRLAUTH
- authority granted by a commander (at any level) to a subordinate to directly consult or coordinate an action with a command or agency within or outside of the granting command
the authority to directly consult or coordinate an action
example: MEF commander gives DIRLAUTH to a division commander to consult with a UN relief agency for a humanitarian relief planning
Direct Support and General Support
Direct Support – a mission requiring a force to support another specific force and authorizing it to answer directly to the supported force’s requests.
-Tactical support
-Decentralized
Example: OSCAR
General Support – support which is given to the supported force as a whole and not to any particular subdivision thereof.
-Centralized
Example: Division Psych
Joint Task Force
Combined Operations
Coalition Operations
- *Joint Task Force (JTF)**
- A force that is constituted and designated by the Secretary of Defense, a combatant commander, a subordinate unified combatant commander, or an existing JTF commander.
- Limited objective
- One Commander is calling the shots
- No centralized control of logistics
- Usually between two or more branches of military
- *Combined Operations**
- Multinational operations – an operation conducted by forces of two or more nations who are allies.
e.g. Cobra Gold
- *Coalition Operations**
- Temporary, informal arrangement for common interests. two or more nations for common action
Discuss Defense Readiness Reporting System (DRRS)
as it applies to your unit.
- This system measures and reports on the readiness of military forces and the supporting infrastructure to meet missions and goals assigned by the Secretary of Defense.
- This Directive establishes a capabilities-based, adaptive, near real-time readiness reporting system for the Department of Defense
- The goal of DRRS is to improve the efficiency of readiness reporting by merging previously unrelated stovepipe data environments and the various reporting assessment metrics into one authoritative source: ESORTS (Enhanced Status of Resources and Training System). ESORTS establishes a common language of tasks, conditions, and standards to describe capabilities essential to the completion of every mission.
- The goal of DRRS data is to provide timely, accurate information for planning, readiness and risk assessment purposes. Included in this data is the following:
- Overall Mission Readiness / Individual Task Readiness
- Organizational / Hierarchical
- Personnel, Equipment, Training, Ordinance, and Supply
- Availability and Current Location (last reported)
Shops
(G / S / J)
G1 - Admin (manpower, personnel, and equipment)
G2 - Intel
G3 - Ops
G4 - Logistics
G5 - Plans (Future/Long range plans [part of G3] “Fops”)
G6 - Comms
G7 - IG / Safety (depends on command)
G8 - Finance (comptroller)
- G9 - ?*
- G10 - Surgeon?*
Special Staff - Medical, Chaplain, Commstrat, etc
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101 Traditions, History95
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102 USMC Mission and Organization16
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103 Safety10
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104 Administrative Fundamentals21
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105 Air Combat Element (ACE)36
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106 Ground Combat Element16
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107 Logistics Command Element33
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108 Command Element38
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109 Amphibious Operations20
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110 Force Protection6
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111 General Combat Leadership13
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112 USMC Operations14
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113 Environmental Awareness Fundamentals6
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114 Communications9
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115 Weapons18
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116 Tactical Measures8
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117 Land Navigation7
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118 Marine Corps Planning Process9
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119 First Aid and Field Sanitation13
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Pictures35
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Lists25
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Need To Know Facts28
