Defense Primer: Commanding U.S. Military Operations (CRS Report for Congress)
| Release Date |
Revised Jan. 12, 2024 |
| Report Number |
IF10542 |
| Report Type |
In Focus |
| Authors |
Kathleen J. McInnis |
| Source Agency |
Congressional Research Service |
| Older Revisions |
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Summary:
Military operations, both in peacetime and in war, are an
inherently complex undertaking. One key to success,
therefore, is a clear, unified chain of command. This
enables senior leaders in the U.S. government—in
particular, the President and the Secretary of Defense—to
command and control military forces around the world.
A (Very) Brief History of the Chain of Command
The way that the United States commands and controls its
forces is in large part a product of an inherent tension
between improving the effectiveness of U.S. forces, on the
one hand, and preserving civilian control of the military, on
the other. The experience of World War II convinced
President Truman, among others, that a greater degree of
coordination and integration between the U.S. military
services was necessary to improve the conduct of military
operations. Yet there was concern at the time that
integrating these institutions might result in an overly
powerful military staff element that could threaten the
principle of civilian control of U.S. forces.
