The Unified Command Plan and Combatant Commands
Author: Andrew Feickert
Publisher:
Published: 2011
Total Pages: 65
ISBN-13:
DOWNLOAD EBOOKThe Unified Command Plan (UCP) and associated Combatant Commands (COCOMs) provide operational instructions and command and control to the Armed Forces and have a significant impact on how they are organized, trained, and resourced -- areas over which Congress has constitutional authority. The UCP is a classified executive branch document prepared by the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (CJCS) and reviewed and updated every two years that assigns missions; planning, training, and operational responsibilities; and geographic areas of responsibilities to COCOMs. Functional COCOMs operate world-wide across geographic boundaries and provide unique capabilities to geographic combatant commands and the Services while geographic COCOMs operate in clearly delineated areas of operation and have a distinctive regional military focus. There are currently nine COCOMs: USSOCOM, USSTRATCOM, USTRANSCOM, USAFRICAOM, USCENTCOM, USEUCOM, USNORTHCOM, USPACOM, and USSOUTHCOM. This report provides information on the history, mission, and operational considerations for each of these organizations as well as a brief discussion of current issues associated with the UCP and these commands.