Roles and Functions of U.S. Combat Forces, Past, Present, and Prospects

Abstract

Congress specifies broad, enduring roles for each U.S. military Service, bearing respective operational mediums in mind: land for the Army; sea for the Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard; air for the Air Force. Congress also issues instructions to U.S. Special Operations Command. The Secretary of Defense, with presidential approval, assigns primary and collateral functions that amplify those statutory responsibilities. The President and Secretary of Defense prescribe operational missions for each U.S. unified and specified command1 (operations by U.S. Central Command to oust Iraqi invaders from Kuwait in 1990-91 and provide humanitarian assistance to Kurds immediately thereafter illustrate how rapidly missions may change compared with durable roles and functions).

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jan 21, 1993
Accession Number
ADA640644

Entities

People

  • John M. Collins

Organizations

  • Library of Congress

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Air Platforms
  • Biomedical
  • Energy and Power Technologies
  • Human Systems
  • Space

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Aerial Warfare
  • Air Force
  • Combat Areas
  • Contingency Operations (Military)
  • Employment
  • Interagency Coordination
  • Military Applications
  • Military Aviation
  • Military Force Levels
  • Military History
  • Military Organizations
  • Military Science
  • National Security
  • Naval Operations
  • Personnel Management
  • Warfare
  • Warning Systems

Readers

  • Defense Financial Management and Audit.
  • Maritime Combat Support and Expeditionary Logistics.
  • Political Violence and Terrorism Studies.