Editing United States Armed Forces (section)

==Structure==
Presidential command over the U.S. Armed Forces is established in [[Article Two of the United States Constitution|Article II]] in the Constitution whereby the president is named as the "[[Commander-in-Chief of the United States|Commander in Chief]] of the Army and Navy of the United States, and of the Militia of the several States, when called into the actual Service of the United States."<ref>{{Cite web |title=The 2nd Article of the U.S. Constitution |url=https://constitutioncenter.org/interactive-constitution/article/article-ii |access-date=21 April 2022 |website=National Constitution Center – The 2nd Article of the U.S. Constitution }}</ref> The United States Armed Forces are split between two cabinet departments, with the [[United States Department of Defense|Department of Defense]] serving as the primary cabinet department for military affairs and the [[United States Department of Homeland Security|Department of Homeland Security]] responsible for administering the [[United States Coast Guard]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Operational and Support Components {{!}} Homeland Security |url=https://www.dhs.gov/operational-and-support-components |access-date=27 April 2022 |website=www.dhs.gov}}</ref>

The military chain of command flows from the President of the United States to the secretary of defense (for services under the Defense Department) or secretary of homeland security (for services under the Department of Homeland Security), ensuring [[civilian control of the military]].

Within the Department of Defense, the military departments ([[United States Department of the Army|Department of the Army]], [[United States Department of the Navy]], and [[United States Department of the Air Force|Department of the Air Force]]) are civilian led entities that oversee the coequal military service branches organized within each department. The military departments and services are responsible for organizing, training, and equipping forces, with the actual chain of command flowing through the [[unified combatant commands]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Organization and Management of the Department of Defense |url=https://irp.fas.org/agency/dod/org-man.pdf |access-date=18 April 2022}}{{PD-notice}}</ref>

[[File:Space Force Leader to Become 8th Member of Joint Chiefs (3).jpg|thumb|upright=1.35|The Joint Chiefs of Staff in December 2020]]
The [[Joint Chiefs of Staff]], although outside the operational chain of command, is the senior-most military body of the Department of Defense. It is led by the [[chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff]], who is the military head of the armed forces and principal advisor to the president and secretary of defense on military matters. Their deputy is the [[Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff|vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff]]. Other members include the [[Chief of Staff of the United States Army|chief of staff of the Army]], [[Commandant of the United States Marine Corps|commandant of the Marine Corps]], [[chief of naval operations]], [[Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force|chief of staff of the Air Force]], [[Chief of Space Operations|chief of space operations]], and the [[chief of the National Guard Bureau]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://bmlc.org/wp-content/uploads/Face-Charts-DoD.pdf|title=DoD Key Leadership Face Charts}}</ref>

The [[commandant of the Coast Guard]] is not an official member of the Joint Chiefs, but sometimes attends meetings as one of the military service chiefs.

The [[Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman|senior enlisted advisor to the chairman]] is the most senior enlisted member in the United States Armed Forces.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.usni.org/magazines/proceedings/2020/august/time-coast-guard-join-joint-chiefs|title=Time for the Coast Guard to Join the Joint Chiefs|date=1 August 2020|website=U.S. Naval Institute}}</ref>

The president of the United States, the [[United States Secretary of Defense|secretary of defense]], the [[United States Secretary of Homeland Security|secretary of Homeland Security]] and [[chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff]] are members of the [[United States National Security Council]], which advises the president on national security, military, and foreign policy matters.<ref>{{Cite web |title=National Security Council |url=https://bidenwhitehouse.archives.gov/nsc/ |access-date=20 April 2022 |website=The White House }}</ref>

The [[National Security Advisor (United States)|national security advisor]], the [[Homeland Security Advisor|homeland security advisor]], and the [[Deputy National Security Advisor (United States)|deputy national security advisor]] may also be members of the United States Armed Forces.<ref>{{Cite web |date=28 February 2017 |title=An Active-Duty National Security Advisor: Myths and Concerns |url=https://warontherocks.com/2017/02/an-active-duty-national-security-advisor-myths-and-concerns/ |access-date=20 April 2022 |website=War on the Rocks }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Geller |first=Eric |title=Trump names Coast Guard official as new homeland security adviser |url=https://www.politico.com/story/2018/06/01/trump-homeland-security-adviser-doug-fears-617963 |access-date=21 April 2022 |website=Politico |date=June 2018 }}</ref>

The [[National Security Council Deputies Committee]] also includes the [[United States Deputy Secretary of Defense|deputy secretary of defense]], [[United States Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security|deputy secretary of homeland security]], and [[Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff|vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=5 February 2021 |title=Memorandum on Renewing the National Security Council System |url=https://bidenwhitehouse.archives.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/02/04/memorandum-renewing-the-national-security-council-system/ |access-date=20 April 2022 |website=The White House }}</ref>

Military leadership, including the secretary of defense, the secretary of Homeland Security, and chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff also sit on the [[National Space Council]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=1 December 2021 |title=Executive Order on the National Space Council |url=https://bidenwhitehouse.archives.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/12/01/executive-order-on-the-national-space-council/ |access-date=21 April 2022 |website=The White House }}</ref>

===Unified combatant commands===
{{main|Unified combatant command}}
[[File:GCCMAP 2019.png|thumb|upright=1.35|Unified combatant commands areas of responsibility]]
Unified combatant commands are joint military commands consisting of forces from multiple military departments, with their chain of command flowing from the president, to the secretary of defense, to the commanders of the combatant commands. Each service organizes, trains, and equips forces that are then presented to the unified combatant commands through service component commands. Special Operations Command and Cyber Command also present theater special operations commands or joint force headquarters – cyber to other combatant commanders. Army components are typically dual-hatted as the [[Joint Force Land Component Commander|joint force land component]], Navy components are typically dual-hatted as the [[Joint Force Maritime Component Commander|joint force maritime component]], and Air Force components are typically dual-hatted as the [[Joint Force Air Component Commander|joint force air component]], with the theater special operations command dual-hatted as the joint force special operations component, and Space Force component typically dual-hatted as the joint force space component.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.jcs.mil/Portals/36/Documents/Doctrine/pubs/jp1_ch1.pdf |title=Joint Publication 1: Doctrine for the Armed Forces of the United States |publisher=Joint Chiefs of Staff of the United States Military |date=25 March 2013 |access-date=28 September 2021 |archive-date=28 October 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211028213359/https://www.jcs.mil/Portals/36/Documents/Doctrine/pubs/jp1_ch1.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref>

{|class="wikitable"
|-
!colspan=2|Name
!Mission
!Headquarters
!Subunified commands
|-
|[[File:Seal of the United States Africa Command.svg|75px]]
|[[United States Africa Command|U.S. Africa Command]] (USAFRICOM)
|Conducts U.S. military operations in Africa.
|[[Kelley Barracks]], Germany
|
|-
|[[File:Seal of United States Central Command.svg|75px]]
|[[United States Central Command|U.S. Central Command]] (USCENTCOM)
|Conducts U.S. military operations in the Middle East and Central Asia.
|[[MacDill Air Force Base]], Florida
|
|-
|[[File:Seal of the United States Cyber Command.svg|75px]]
|[[United States Cyber Command|U.S. Cyber Command]] (USCYBERCOM)
|Conduct U.S. military cyber operations.
|[[Fort Meade]], Maryland
|[[File:Cyber National Mission Force Emblem.png|35px]] [[Cyber National Mission Force]]
|-
|[[File:USEUCOM.svg|75px]]
|[[United States European Command|U.S. European Command]] (USEUCOM)
|Conducts U.S. military operations in Europe.
|[[Patch Barracks]], Germany
|
|-
|[[File:US Indo-Pacific Command Seal.svg|75px]]
|[[United States Indo-Pacific Command|U.S. Indo-Pacific Command]] (USINDOPACOM)
|Conducts U.S. military operations in the Indo-Pacific.
|[[Camp H. M. Smith]], Hawaii
|{{Plainlist|
*[[File:Seal of the USFJ.svg|35px]] [[United States Forces Japan|U.S. Forces Japan]]
*[[File:USFK Logo.svg|35px]] [[United States Forces Korea|U.S. Forces Korea]]
}}
|-
|[[File:Seal of the United States Northern Command.png|75px]]
|[[United States Northern Command|U.S. Northern Command]] (USNORTHCOM)
|Conducts U.S. military operations in North America and homeland defense operations.
|[[Peterson Space Force Base]], Colorado
|[[File:Alaskan Command.jpg|35px]] [[Alaskan Command]]
|-
|[[File:Seal of the United States Southern Command.svg|75px]]
|[[United States Southern Command|U.S. Southern Command]] (USSOUTHCOM)
|Conducts U.S. military operations in Central America, South America, and the Caribbean.
|Doral, Florida
|
|-
|[[File:United States Space Command emblem 2019.svg|75px]]
|[[United States Space Command|U.S. Space Command]] (USSPACECOM)
|Conducts U.S. military operations in outer space.
|[[Peterson Space Force Base]], Colorado
|
|-
|[[File:United States Special Operations Command Insignia.svg|75px]]
|[[United States Special Operations Command|U.S. Special Operations Command]] (USSOCOM)
|Develops and employs special operations forces. 
|[[MacDill Air Force Base]], Florida
|{{Plainlist|
*[[File:Seal of the Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC).svg|35px]] [[Joint Special Operations Command]]
*[[File:USAE SOCAFRICA CSIB.jpeg|35px]] [[Special Operations Command Africa]]
*[[File:Special Operations Command, Central (U.S. Army Element) CSIB.png|35px]] [[Special Operations Command Central]]
*[[File:High Res SOCEUR Patch copy.png|35px]] [[Special Operations Command Europe]]
*[[File:Special Operations Command, Korea (U.S. Army Element) CSIB.png|35px]] [[Special Operations Command Korea]]
*[[File:USAE Special Operations Command North SSI 2014-04-25.png|35px]] [[Special Operations Command North]]
*[[File:Special Operations Command, Pacific (U.S. Army Element) CSIB.png|35px]] [[Special Operations Command Pacific]]
*[[File:Special Operations Command, South (U.S. Army Element) CSIB.png|35px]] [[Special Operations Command South]]
}}
|-
|[[File:US Strategic Command Emblem.svg|75px]]
|[[United States Strategic Command|U.S. Strategic Command]] (USSTRATCOM)
|Conduct strategic deterrence, nuclear operations, nuclear command, control, and communications, joint electromagnetic spectrum operations, and global strike.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.stratcom.mil/About/|title=About|website=U.S. Strategic Command |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231004041841/https://www.stratcom.mil/about/ |archive-date= Oct 4, 2023 }}</ref>
|[[Offutt Air Force Base]], Nebraska
|
|-
|[[File:US-TRANSCOM-Emblem.svg|75px]]
|[[United States Transportation Command|U.S. Transportation Command]] (USTRANSCOM)
|Conduct globally integrated mobility operations.
|[[Scott Air Force Base]], Illinois
|
|}

===Combat support agencies===
{{main|combat support agency}}
[[Combat support agency|Combat support agencies]] are Department of Defense agencies with combat support missions that service operating forces planning or conducting military operations. This includes support during conflict or in the conduct of other military activities related to countering threats to U.S. national security. This mission is focused on providing support to echelons at the CCMD level and below and may not encompass the full scope of the CSA's mission.<ref>{{Cite web |date=June 27, 2013 |title=Combat Support Agencies (CSAs) |id=3000.06 |url=https://www.esd.whs.mil/Portals/54/Documents/DD/issuances/dodd/300006p.pdf |access-date=8 August 2023 |website=Department of Defense}}</ref>

{|class="wikitable"
|-
!colspan=2|Name
!Mission
!Headquarters
|-
|[[File:Seal of the Defense Contract Management Agency.svg|75px]]
|[[Defense Contract Management Agency]] (DCMA)
|Provide contract administration services for the Department of Defense.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.dcma.mil/About-Us/|title=About Us|website=Defense Contract Management Agency |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231011201858/https://www.dcma.mil/About-Us/ |archive-date= Oct 11, 2023 }}</ref>
|[[Fort Gregg-Adams]], Virginia
|-
|[[File:US Defense Health Agency seal.png|75px]]
|[[Defense Health Agency]] (DHA)
|Provide and augment medical capabilities for combatant commands.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.health.mil/Military-Health-Topics/Health-Readiness|title=Health Readiness & Combat Support|website=Military Health System |url-status=live |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20231011201858/https://www.health.mil/Military-Health-Topics/Health-Readiness |archive-date= Oct 11, 2023 }}</ref>
|Falls Church, Virginia
|-
|[[File:DISA Seal.png|75px]]
|[[Defense Information Systems Agency]] (DISA)
|Provide, operate and assure command, control, information-sharing capabilities.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.disa.mil/about/our-work | title=Our Work |website=Defense Information Systems Agency |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231127125351/https://www.disa.mil/About/Our-Work |archive-date= Nov 27, 2023 }}</ref>
|[[Fort Meade]], Maryland
|-
|[[File:Seal of the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency.svg|75px]]
|[[Defense Intelligence Agency]] (DIA)
|Provide military intelligence to warfighters, defense policymakers and force planners in the Department of Defense and Intelligence Community, in support of U.S. military planning and operations and weapon systems acquisition.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.dia.mil/About/|title=About DIA|website=www.dia.mil}}</ref>
|[[Defense Intelligence Agency Headquarters]], [[Joint Base Anacostia–Bolling]], Washington D.C.
|-
|[[File:Seal of the Defense Logistics Agency.png|75px]]
|[[Defense Logistics Agency]] (DLA)
|Manages the end-to-end global defense supply chain.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.dla.mil/About-DLA/|title=About the Defense Logistics Agency|website=www.dla.mil}}</ref>
|[[Fort Belvoir]], Virginia
|-
|[[File:US-DefenseThreatReductionAgency-Seal.svg|75px]]
|[[Defense Threat Reduction Agency]] (DTRA)
|Identify, develop, and field solutions to counter weapons of mass destruction and emerging threats.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.dtra.mil/About/|title=About Us|website=www.dtra.mil}}</ref>
|[[Fort Belvoir]], Virginia
|-
|[[File:US-NationalGeospatialIntelligenceAgency-2008Seal.svg|75px]]
|[[National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency]] (NGA)
|Delivers geospatial intelligence to policymakers, military service members, intelligence professionals and first responders.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nga.mil/about/About_Us.html|title=About Us &#124; National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency|website=www.nga.mil}}</ref>
|[[Fort Belvoir]], Virginia
|-
|[[File:Seal of the U.S. National Security Agency.svg|75px]] [[File:Css-insignia-lg.png|75px]]
|[[National Security Agency]] / [[Central Security Service]] (NSA/CSS)
|Provides timely and accurate cryptologic support, knowledge, and assistance to the military cryptologic community.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nsa.gov/about/central-security-service/|title=National Security Agency/Central Security Service > About > Central Security Service|website=www.nsa.gov}}</ref> Provide actionable signals intelligence and cybersecurity support to the Armed Forces.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nsa.gov/About/Mission-Combat-Support/|title=National Security Agency Mission and Combat Support|website=www.nsa.gov}}</ref>
|[[Fort Meade]], Maryland
|}