JP 1, Doctrine for the Armed Forces of the United States - Defense ...

Executive Summary
related capabilities and activities can be grouped. These
groupings, which we call joint functions, facilitate
planning and employment of the joint force. In addition
to command and control (C2), the joint functions include
intelligence, fires, movement and maneuver, protection,
and sustainment.
Joint Operation Planning
Joint operation planning is
the way the military links and
transforms national strategic
objectives into tactical actions.
Law of War
Joint operation planning provides a common basis for
discussion, understanding, and change for the joint force,
its subordinate and higher headquarters, the joint
planning and execution community, and the national
leadership. In accordance with the Guidance for
Employment of the Force (GEF), adaptive planning
supports the transition of DOD planning from a
contingency-centric approach to a strategy-centric
approach. The Adaptive Planning and Execution
(APEX) system facilitates iterative dialogue and
collaborative planning between the multiple echelons of
command. The combatant commanders’ (CCDRs’)
participation in the Joint Strategic Planning System and
APEX system helps to ensure that warfighting and
peacetime operational concerns are emphasized in all
planning documents.
It is DOD policy that the Armed Forces of the United
States will adhere to the law of war, often called the law
of armed conflict, during all military operations. The law
of war is the body of law that regulates both the legal and
customary justifications for utilizing force and the
conduct of armed hostilities; it is binding on the US and
its individual citizens.
Doctrine Governing Unified Direction of Armed Forces
National Strategic Direction
Strategic Guidance and
Responsibilities
National strategic direction is governed by the
Constitution, US law, USG policy regarding
internationally recognized law, and the national interest
as represented by national security policy. This direction
leads to unified action. National policy and planning
documents generally provide national strategic direction.
The national security strategy (NSS) provides a broad
strategic context for employing military capabilities in
concert with other instruments of national power.
xii JP 1