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

Chapter I
define each function, and some apply to more than one joint function. Balancing their
complementary but competing processes and capabilities is central to leadership and
command of joint operations.
c. The commander must exercise all the joint functions to effectively operate the force
and generate combat power. Inadequate integration and balancing of these functions can
undermine the cohesion, effectiveness, and adaptability of the force. For example,
inattention to protection can deplete combat power unnecessarily, thereby undermining
reserves and degrading the force’s ability to capitalize on an opportunity or respond to an
unforeseen problem. Likewise, inattention to intelligence can leave the force with
inadequate information to support decision making or identify opportunities in time to
exploit them. Each of the joint functions is discussed below.
(1) Command and control encompasses the exercise of authority, responsibility,
and direction by a commander over assigned and attached forces to accomplish the mission.
Command at all levels is the art of motivating and directing people and organizations into
action to accomplish missions. Control is inherent in command. To control is to manage
and direct forces and functions consistent with a commander’s command authority. Control
of forces and functions helps commanders and staffs compute requirements, allocate means,
and integrate efforts. Mission command is the preferred method of exercising C2. A
complete discussion of tenets, organization, and processes for effective C2 is provided in
Section B, “Command and Control of Joint Forces,” of Chapter V “Joint Command and
Control.”
(2) Intelligence helps commanders and staffs understand the operational
environment and achieve information superiority. Intelligence identifies enemy capabilities
and vulnerabilities, projects probable intentions and actions, and is a critical aspect of the
joint planning process and execution of operations. It provides assessments that help the
commander decide which forces to deploy; when, how, and where to deploy them; and how
to employ them in a manner that accomplishes the mission.
(3) Fires. To employ fires is to use available weapons and other systems to create a
specific lethal or nonlethal effect on a target. Joint fires are those delivered during the
employment of forces from two or more components in coordinated action to produce
desired results in support of a common objective. Fires typically produce destructive effects,
but some ways and means, such as electronic attack and other nonlethal capabilities, can be
employed with little or no associated physical destruction.
(4) Movement and maneuver encompasses the disposition of joint forces to conduct
operations by securing positional advantages before or during execution. This function
includes moving or deploying forces into an operational area and maneuvering them within
the timeline and to the operational depth necessary to achieve objectives. It uses organic and
supporting means and methods that allow a commander to choose where and when to engage
an adversary or take best advantage of geographic and environmental conditions.
(5) The protection function focuses on conserving the joint force’s fighting
potential through active defensive measures that protect the joint force from an adversary’s
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