3.1 United States Armed Forces (AFH-1 Section 5A)

United States Armed Forces (AFH-1 Section 5A)

Quick Answer: The operational chain runs President → Secretary of Defense → Combatant Commanders. Forces not assigned to a combatant commander follow President → Secretary of Defense → Secretaries of the military departments. Goldwater-Nichols lets the President put the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in the communications chain—not in command of the Armed Forces.

AFH-1, 15 February 2025, Section 5A maps civilian control through the Department of Defense (DoD) to the Joint Chiefs of Staff. E5 and E6 testing is ADTC level B.

Command authority and civilian control

Command authority is the established levels of responsibility for command, control, and communication throughout a chain of command. Responsibility and authority extend from the U.S. President, through the Secretary of Defense, through two distinct branches of command, and through each commander at every level. Every level is responsible for all lower levels and accountable to all higher levels.

The Constitution establishes civilian control of the Armed Forces. As Commander in Chief, the President has final command authority. As head of the executive branch, the President remains subject to legislative and judicial checks and balances.

Two statutory chains

By statute, the chain of command for assigned forces runs from the President, through the Secretary of Defense, to the Combatant Commanders (CCDRs). For all forces not assigned to the CCDRs, the chain runs from the President, through the Secretary of Defense, to the Secretaries of the military departments. When forces are assigned to CCDRs, administrative control still typically flows through the respective service branch.

The joint commander employs the force on the mission; the parent service still administers it. Section 5C names that split OPCON versus ADCON; 5A is where the statute creates it.

Goldwater-Nichols at teaching level

A provision of Public Law 99-433, the Goldwater-Nichols Department of Defense Reorganization Act of 1986 (1 October 1986), permits the President to authorize communications through the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, placing the Chairman in the communications chain of command. Communications is not command. AFH-1 states the Chairman outranks every other officer of the Armed Forces but may not exercise military command over the Joint Chiefs of Staff or the U.S. Armed Forces. If an item offers "the Chairman commands the combatant commanders," reject it.

Department of Defense

With over 1.3 million members in the Regular Forces, another 826,000 in the National Guard and Reserve Forces, and 742,000 civilian personnel, DoD is America's largest government agency. Its mission is to provide military forces to deter war and protect the security of our country. It is headquartered at the Pentagon.

DoD includes the Office of the Secretary of Defense; the Joint Chiefs of Staff; the Joint Staff; and the Departments of the Army, Navy (including the Marine Corps), and Air Force (including the Space Force). It also includes the unified combatant commands and forces dedicated to combined commands, defense agencies, and field activities.

As civilian head of DoD, the Secretary of Defense (SecDef) reports directly to the President. Appointed by the President with Senate advice and consent, the SecDef is principal defense policy advisor and is responsible for formulating general defense policy and executing approved policy. The SecDef also exercises the operational chain of command between the President and the CCDRs.

Joint Chiefs of Staff

Subject to the President and the SecDef, Joint Chiefs members advise the President, the SecDef, and the National Security Council. They provide strategic direction, review major materiel and personnel requirements, establish joint doctrine, assign logistic responsibilities to the services, formulate joint-training policy, and coordinate military education.

AFH-1 lists the members as the Chairman; Vice Chairman; Chief of Staff of the U.S. Army; Chief of Naval Operations; Chief of Staff of the USAF; Chief of Space Operations; Commandant of the Marine Corps; and Chief of the National Guard Bureau. For the Service Chiefs (Army, Navy, USAF, Space Force, and Marine Corps), Joint Chiefs duties take precedence over all other duties, so they delegate many service duties to their Vice Chiefs while retaining overall responsibility.

Chairman and Vice Chairman

The Chairman (CJCS) is appointed by the President with Senate advice and consent, holds the grade of General or Admiral, and is the principal military advisor to the President, the National Security Council, and the SecDef. The SecDef may assign the Chairman responsibility for overseeing combatant-command activities. The Chairman presides over the Joint Chiefs and furnishes their recommendations and views. The Vice Chairman (VCJCS) is likewise appointed with Senate consent, performs duties the Chairman prescribes with SecDef approval, cannot be from the same branch of service as the Chairman, serves a two-year tour and may be reappointed for two additional terms, and assumes Acting Chairman when required.

Joint Staff

By law, direction of the Joint Staff rests exclusively with the Chairman. The Chairman normally manages it through the Director of the Joint Staff, selected by the Chairman after consulting other Joint Chiefs members and with SecDef approval. The staff has more than 1,500 military and civilian personnel, with approximately equal officer numbers from the Army, Navy, USAF, and USSF. Marines make up about 20 percent of the number allocated to the Navy—not 20 percent of the entire Joint Staff. The staff assists with strategic direction, unified CCMD operation, and integrating the branches.