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

Joint Command and Control
8. Command Relationships and Assignment and Transfer of Forces
All forces under the jurisdiction of the Secretaries of the Military Departments (except
those forces necessary to carry out the functions of the Military Departments as noted in
Title 10, USC, Section 162) are assigned to CCMDs or Commander, USELEMNORAD, or
designated as Service retained by SecDef in the GFMIG. A force assigned or attached to a
CCMD, or Service retained by a Service Secretary, may be transferred from that command to
another CCDR only when directed by SecDef and under procedures prescribed by SecDef
and approved by the President. The command relationship the gaining commander will
exercise (and the losing commander will relinquish) will be specified by SecDef.
Establishing authorities for subordinate unified commands and JTFs may direct the
assignment or attachment of their forces to those subordinate commands and delegate the
command relationship as appropriate (see Figure V-3).
a. The CCDR exercises COCOM over forces assigned or reassigned by the President or
SecDef. Forces are assigned or reassigned when the transfer of forces will be permanent or
for an unknown period of time, or when the broadest command authority is required or
desired. OPCON of assigned forces is inherent in COCOM and may be delegated within the
CCMD by the CCDR.
b. The CCDR normally exercises OPCON over forces attached by SecDef. Forces are
attached when the transfer of forces will be temporary. Establishing authorities for
subordinate unified commands and JTFs normally will direct the delegation of OPCON over
forces attached to those subordinate commands.
c. In accordance with the GFMIG and the UCP, except as otherwise directed by the
President or SecDef, all forces operating within the geographic area assigned to a specific
GCC shall be assigned or attached to, and under the command of, that GCC. (This does not
Transfer of Forces and Command Relationships Overview
• Forces, not command relationships, are transferred between commands. When forces
are transferred, the command relationship the gaining commander will exercise (and
the losing commander will relinquish) over those forces must be specified.
• When transfer of forces to a joint force will be permanent (or for an unknown but long
period of time) the forces should be reassigned. Combatant commanders will exercise
combatant command (command authority), and subordinate joint force commanders
(JFCs), normally through the Service component commander, will exercise
operational control (OPCON) over reassigned forces.
• When transfer of forces to a joint force will be temporary, the forces will be attached to
the gaining command, and JFCs, normally through the Service component
commander, will exercise OPCON over the attached forces.
• Establishing authorities for subordinate unified commands and joint task forces direct
the assignment or attachment of their forces to those subordinate commands as
appropriate.
Figure V-3. Transfer of Forces and Command Relationships Overview
V-11