Joint Forces Command

Joint Forces Command
Unit name	Joint Forces Command
Type	Unified combatant command
Role	Joint warfighting, force integration, interoperability
Command structure	United States Department of Defense

Joint Forces Command. A major unified combatant command within the United States Department of Defense, it was established to enhance the interoperability and integration of the nation's military services. Its primary mission focused on transforming the United States Armed Forces into a more agile, networked, and joint-capable force. The command played a pivotal role in developing joint doctrine, conducting advanced experimentation, and providing trained joint task force headquarters for global operations.

History

The command traces its origins to the United States Atlantic Command, which was originally established after World War II to oversee United States Navy and United States Marine Corps forces in the Atlantic Ocean. Following the Goldwater-Nichols Act of 1986, which reorganized the entire United States Department of Defense command structure, the command's role began to evolve significantly. In 1999, it was formally redesignated as United States Joint Forces Command by direction of the Secretary of Defense and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, reflecting a new emphasis on joint warfare. This period coincided with the Revolution in Military Affairs and lessons learned from operations like Operation Desert Storm. After over a decade of service, the command was disestablished in 2011 as part of a broader efficiency initiative by the Secretary of Defense, with many of its core functions redistributed to other organizations like the Joint Staff and the United States Strategic Command.

Organization

Headquartered at Naval Station Norfolk in Virginia, the command was led by a four-star officer, typically from the United States Navy or United States Marine Corps, who also served as the Supreme Allied Commander Transformation for NATO. Its structure integrated personnel from all service branches, including the United States Army, United States Air Force, and United States Coast Guard. Key subordinate elements included the Joint Warfighting Center, the Joint Systems Integration Center, and the Joint Transformation Command-Intelligence. The command also directly controlled several United States Army and United States Air Force component units for training and force provision purposes, fostering a truly joint environment for developing future warfighting concepts.

Responsibilities

The command's central responsibility was to function as the Department of Defense's primary joint force integrator and innovator. It was tasked with developing and refining joint doctrine in publications like the Joint Publication 3-0, overseeing the rigorous training and certification of joint task force staffs at facilities like the Joint Warfighting Center. A major focus was on advanced concept development and experimentation, often utilizing the Joint National Training Capability and war games to test new technologies and tactics. Furthermore, it maintained a standing Joint Enabling Capabilities Command to provide rapidly deployable command and control elements for emerging crises anywhere in the world, supporting other combatant commands like United States Central Command and United States European Command.

Component commands

To fulfill its training and force generation missions, the command exercised operational control over several service-specific component commands. These included United States Army Forces Command, which provided United States Army ground forces, and the United States Air Force Air Combat Command, which supplied tactical air power and other United States Air Force assets. While not a permanent component, the command also worked closely with allocated forces from the United States Marine Corps Forces Command and the United States Fleet Forces Command of the United States Navy for major exercises and operations. This structure ensured that forces from different services could train together under a joint headquarters before deploying to a geographic combatant command.

Notable operations

While primarily a training and transformation command, it played crucial supporting roles in major military operations. During the Iraq War, it provided critical joint force headquarters elements and specialized teams to support the efforts of United States Central Command. Similarly, for the War in Afghanistan, the command deployed personnel to assist with joint planning and interoperability challenges. Its most visible contributions, however, were through large-scale, multi-service exercises such as Exercise Millennium Challenge, which tested advanced network-centric warfare concepts. The command also led the military's response to domestic emergencies, notably during the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, where it coordinated Department of Defense support to Federal Emergency Management Agency relief efforts.

Commanders

The command was led by a succession of distinguished four-star officers. Its first commander as a unified command was Admiral Harold W. Gehman Jr., who previously served as the Supreme Allied Commander Atlantic. He was followed by General William F. Kernan of the United States Army. Subsequent commanders included Admiral Edmund P. Giambastiani Jr., who later became the Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and General Lance L. Smith of the United States Air Force. The final commander was Army General Raymond T. Odierno, who oversaw the command's disestablishment before becoming the Chief of Staff of the United States Army.

Category:Military of the United States Category:Unified combatant commands of the United States