Joint Operating Concept (JOC) - GlobalSecurity.org

Commands and JIATFs with IW Missions. The Department of Defense
may coordinate with, or the President may direct, other USG agencies
to assign personnel to the headquarters of regional subordinate unified
commands and JIATFs, not as part of a joint IA coordination group, but
as integral members of an IA command group and staff. These IA
regional commands and JIATFs will synchronize and integrate the
activities and operations of subordinate elements of participating USG
agencies within their operational areas. With new congressional
authority, the Department would be able to fund their activities and
operations from a congressional transfer account under the control of a
single DOD account manager.
o Establish IA Advisory Assistance Teams at Subnational Levels of
Government. The Department of Defense may coordinate with, or the
President may direct, OGAs to assign personnel to IA advisory
assistance teams collocated with indigenous sub-national (e.g.,
provincial or district) political authorities within a threatened country.
These teams would collaborate with the supported political authorities
to synchronize and integrate USG activities and operations with those
of the supported indigenous authorities. The teams would report to the
US chief of mission in the country or to the appropriate US area
military commander, depending on the specific situation.
o Expand the Use of US Military Groups (MILGRPs)21 to Conduct and
Support IW. The Department of Defense may establish a network of
MILGRPs in or adjacent to all priority countries to conduct and support
the full range of IW activities envisioned by this JOC under the
operational direction22 of the US chiefs of missions responsible for
those countries. These MILGRPs would be significantly different from
current security cooperation organizations. In addition to their title 22
security assistance functions, they would have increased title 10
authorities compared to current security cooperation organizations,
including the authority to conduct combat operations, arrange for US
combat support (CS) and combat service support (CSS) of partner
forces, and support the IW activities of OGAs. They would have
21 This JOC uses the term “military group (MILGRP)” to describe any DOD element located in a
foreign country under the “operational direction” of a US chief of mission and with assigned
responsibilities for performing title 10 combat advisory, training, and other operational missions
as well as title 22 security assistance management functions. In practice, these elements may be
called military missions and groups, military assistance advisory groups, offices of defense and
military cooperation, or liaison groups.
22 This JOC uses the term “operational direction” to describe the authority over US military
forces that the President will delegate to the chief of mission for a specific complex contingency
operation for which the chief of mission has responsibility. 22 USC 3927 currently prohibits
chiefs of mission from directing, coordinating, or supervising the activities or operations of
military forces under the command of a US area military commander such as a geographic
combatant commander. See Glossary.
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