Support of the Headquarters of Combatant and Subordinate Unified Commands

Within OSD/DA&M, O&MP is responsible for maintaining and updating Department of Defense (DoD) Directive (DoDD) 5100.03, Support of the Headquarters of Combatant and Subordinate Unified Commands.  This directive establishes policy and assigns responsibilities for the administrative and logistical support of Combatant Command headquarters and subordinate unified command headquarters.  It details the specific responsibilities of DoD Components and lists the commands and their support agents.

2011 Update – As part of the Combatant Command Resource Management Study conducted by the Office of Under Secretary of Defense (Comptroller) it was recommended that DoDD 5100.03 be reviewed and the following be addressed:

• Establishment of the term Combatant Command Support Agent (CCSA), as opposed to Executive Agent (EA), for defining the unique administrative and logistical support relationships between Combatant Command headquarters and the Military Departments.
• Use of the term “subordinate unified commands” (defined in Joint doctrine), as opposed to “subordinate joint commands” (an ill defined term not reflected in Joint doctrine publications).
• Defining what constitutes “administrative and logistical support” of Combatant Command Headquarters.

Changes in the Unified Combatant Command structure with the creation of U.S. Africa Command (USAFRICOM) as a Unified Combatant Command and U.S. Cyber Command (USCYBERCOM) as a subordinate unified command to U.S. Strategic Command (USSTRATCOM) presented helped drive the 2011 update of DoDD 5100.03. 

On 9 February 2011, the Deputy Secretary of Defense signed out an updated DoDD 5100.03 to address each of the key changes highlighted above. Additionally, this update includes theater special operations commands (TSOCs) as subordinate unified commands and updates the definition of TSOC.

The current list of Combatant Commands and their support agents is located below.  

Note:  theater special operations commands (or TSOCs) are included as subordinate unified commands and are two toned in color to reflect Military Department support and that of Major Force Program 11 managed by Special Operations Command.

To download the graphic with the accompanying acronym list, click here.