Joint Forces Structure and Operations Flashcards
1787
Framers of the Consitution established the principle of civilian control over the armed forces.
Constitution (Article I, Section 8)
Specified that Congress alone would have the power to raise and support armies, to declare war, to make rules concerning captures of land and water, and to provide for organizing, arming, and disciplining the Militia.
Constitution (Article II, Section 2)
the President, as the nations Chief Executive, be the Commander in Chief of the armed forces of the United States
When was the Joint Chiefs of Staff created?
Soon after America entered WWII in 1942. The President formed the US Joint Chiefs of Staff as the American representatives to the Combined Chiefs of Staff.
What did the JCS initially consist of?
Three men, the Army Chief of Staff, the Commanding General of the Army Air Forces, and the Commander in Chief of the US Fleet and Chief of Naval Operations.
What did the National Security Act of 1947 do?
It formally established the organizations that were created during WWII to facilitate better control over the military.
What did the National Security Act of 1947 create?
A. The National Security Council (NSC)
B. The National Military Establishment (NME)
C. The Service Secretaries
D. The Unified and Specified Combatant commands, their responsibilities, and command relationships
E. A legitimized Joint Chiefs of Staff, that provide the Chairman their military advice on how to best advise the President
1986
Goldwater-Nichols Act of 1986: an attempt by Congress to rectify problems that came to light after the attempted rescue of American hostages in Iran (Operation Desert One) and the invasion of Grenada (Operation Urgenty Fury)
What did the Goldwater-Nichols Act of 1986 do?
- Designated the Chairman as the principal military advisor
- Transferred the corporate duties of the JCS to the Chairman
- Specified the chain of command from the President to the Secretary of Defense to the combatant commaders.
What were the first major operations after the Goldwater-Nichols Act?
The capture of General Noriega (Operation Just Cause), Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm
What did the Homeland Security Act of 2002 create?
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS)
What was the purpose of the DHS?
Prevent terrorist attacks within the US, reduce America’s vulnerability to terrorism, and minimize the damage from terrorism and national disasters.
Who controls the Coast Guard?
DHS during peacetime, Navy during Wartime or when directed by the President.
U.S. Space Force
Established Dec 20, 2019 within the Department of the Air Force
What is the role of the services?
To organize, train, and equip forces
Army Roles
Prompt and sustained combat operations on land
Navy Roles
Prompt and sustained combat operations at Sea
Marine Corps Roles
Service with the fleet in the seizure or defense of advanced naval bases and the conduct of land operations essential to a Naval campaign
Air Force Roles
Prompt and sustained offensive and defensive combat operations in the air and space
Special Operations Command
Activities or missions involving special operations forces from all the services
What is “Function”?
Specific responsibilities assigned by the President and Sec of Defense to enable the services to fulfill their legally established roles.
What are “Missions”
Tasks assigned by the President or by the Secretary of Defense and the President to the commaders of Combatant Commands
Army Function
Exercise direct, sustained, and comprehensive control over the land, its resources, and its peoples.
Marine Corps Function
Provide land operations essential to naval operations, provide security in US Embassies worldwide.
Navy Function
Provide a forward presence, Provide a show of force and deterrance, provide sealift capabilities to bring other forces from the US to wherever they are needed worldwide.
Air Force Function
Attain and sustain air and space superiority. Provide global mobility and use information superiority to conduct combat search and rescue; intellegence, surveillance, and reconnaissance, and combat actions with a minimum of collateral damage
Coast Guard Function
Assist the DoD in performance of any activity for with the Coast Guard is qualified. Support the National Security Strategy, National Military Strategy, and the combantant commanders.
Space Force Function
Develop military space professionals, acquire military space systems, maturing the military doctrine for space power, and providing space capabilities to the joint force
What are the two types of commands?
Geographical and functional
How many geographical commands are there?
seven
What are the seven geographical commands?
- USNORTHCOM: North America
- USEUCOM: Europe, Greenland, Russia, and Western Africa
- USSOUTHCOM: Central and South America
- USINDOPACOM: Asia, Pacific, and Antarctica
- USCENTCOM: US Central Command-Egypt and Southwest Asia
- USAFRICOM: All of Africa with the exception of Egypt
- USSPACECOM: 100KM above the earths surface and beyond
What are the four functional commands and what do they do?
- USSTRATCOM: U.S. Strategic command
- control space, deter attacks, launch and operate satellites systems - USSOCOM: U.S. Special Operations Command
- provides combat-ready SOF and perform Service-like functions - USTRANSCOM: U.S. Transportation Command
- moves materials and people around the world - USCYBERCOM: U.S. Cyber Command
- plans, coordinates, integrates, sycronizes, and conducts activities to defent DoD networks. conduct full spectrum military cyberspace operations, ensures US/Allies freedom of action in cyberspace, and deny cyberspace freedomn to adversaries.
What is a Joint Task Force?
A joint task force (JTF) is a joint force that is constituted and so designated by the Secretary of Defense, a combatant commader, a subordinate unified command commander, or an existing JTF commander. **can be created on a geographical or functional basis and dissolved when the purpose for which it was created has been achieved.
Vicksburg
General Ulysses S. Grant and Admiral David D. Porter: Union Army and naval forces jointly used unity of effort, mass, leverage, and seizing the initiative.
Desert One (Operation Eagle Claw)
November 1979, Iranian militants took 53 Americans in the US Embassy in Tehran hostage. On April 25, 1980 rescue attempt failed when Eight Americans were killed (five Airmen and three Marines) when the rotor of a helicopter sliced into the fuselage of a C-130
Grenada (Operation Urgent Fury)
Restoration of democracy in Grenada. Operation that stated clear objectives and led to the Goldwater-Nichols act (1986)
Operation Just Cause
The invasion of Panama
Desert Storm
Demonstrated every principle of war and element of joint doctrine in action. OPSEC combined with deception under unity of command allowed Norman Schwarzkopf to maneuver coalition forces to surprise, shock, and dislocate Iraqi forces.
