Command relationships in a combined force.

As the world is well aware, fighting the war in Iraq is a joint fight: U. S. military forces come together to conduct joint operations. Communication between the administrative control (ADCON) and operational control (OPCON) units is critical. Engineer leaders must doctrinally understand their ADCON and OPCON role because operations in a joint environment will only increase in the future.

Responsibilities

When it comes to understanding command and control relationships, such as ADCON and OPCON, it is critical for battalion- and brigade-level leaders and staff planners to know their roles and responsibilities. Leaders and staff officers must understand the boundaries and limitations to avoid interference with maneuver or combat missions or administrative roles and responsibilities. Likewise, subordinate units must know what to expect and where to go for administrative and logistical support. Not understanding the command relationship or having unclear lanes of responsibility and an ambiguous relationship can be detrimental to an effective and smooth combat operation.

In a joint or multinational force environment, the number of combat commanders with OPCON of engineer forces assigned to the engineer brigade is increasing on the battlefield. ADCON encompasses administrative (legal, personnel, and finance) and logistical support to the maneuver forces. When designated as an ADCON unit, the engineer brigade enters into agreements for certain responsibilities.

Authority

ADCON is the control vested (primarily) in the engineer brigade chain of command and the exercise of authority over subordinate engineer units in respect to administration and support. It includes the organization of engineer forces, control of resources and equipment, personnel management and administration, unit logistics, training, readiness, deployment, redeployment, discipline, and other matters not included in the operational missions of the subordinate or other organizations.

To accomplish missions, commanders are often provided different levels of authority. The amount of authority depends not only on their current position in the chain of command but also on the type of mission. Additionally, when forces are assigned or attached resulting from a relief in place (RIP)/transfer of authority (TOA), the gaining commander assumes a different authority. It is also important for planners to understand the chain of command, the authorities and responsibilities that exist within the chain of command, the various relationships among the ADCON and OPCON commanders during the military decision-making process, and how vital it is to successfully plan any mission with an ADCON or OPCON command relationship.

Chain of Command

The chain of command is the succession of commanding officers, from a superior to a subordinate, through which command is exercised. It is a single chain of command with two distinct command relationships. One branch--administrative--extends from the ADCON commander (engineer brigade) to the engineer battalion commander; the other branch--operational (where missions are carried out)--extends from the OPCON commander to the engineer battalion commander.

OPCON

Inherent in command authority, OPCON is the authority to perform the functions of command over subordinate forces that involve organizing and employing commands and forces, assigning tasks, designating objectives, and giving authoritative direction necessary to accomplish the mission. OPCON does not, in and of itself, include authoritative direction for logistics or matters of administration, discipline, internal organization, or unit training.

The employment of engineer forces to attain an operational objective through the organization, integration, and conduct of major operations requires services to work with one another. This requires the joint force commander to task-organize Army engineers to work with the Marines for tactical operations, integrating key forces at the level necessary to accomplish assigned missions. Anything that would affect the OPCON, maneuver, or unit combat operational readiness would go through the OPCON unit.

Considerations for the OPCON unit (maneuver) are as follows:

* Tracking emergency leave.

* Tracking rest and recuperation leave and passes.

* Submitting strength reports.

* Maintaining strength accountability.

* Reporting casualties (using the Defense Casualty Information Processing System [DCIPS]).

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ADCON

Administration and support includes organization, control of resources and equipment, personnel management, unit logistics, individual and unit training, readiness, discipline, and other matters not included in operational missions of subordinate or other organizations. ADCON gives authority over subordinate or other organizations on administration and support.

Considerations for the ADCON unit (engineer brigade) are as follows:

* Making recommendations to the OPCON commander on the proper employment of engineer forces.

* Conducting specific engineer-oriented training.

* Informing the OPCON chain of command of changes in logistics and administrative support and logistics functions normal to the command.

* Providing supporting operation and exercise plans with necessary engineer data to support missions assigned by the OPCON commander.

* Enforcing internal administration and discipline: evaluations, Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) actions, safety reporting, logistical reporting, and casualty operations (casualty notification and assistance).

One way of avoiding conflict or crossing the ADCON or OPCON lane is to have or develop something similar to a memorandum of understanding and agreement that spells out everything from safety and accident investigations, to evaluations, to Class II and Class IX supplies.

Conclusion

Establishing the roles and responsibilities of the ADCON and OPCON units creates a better combat working environment between the units and gives subordinate units a better understanding of when, where, and how to report, as well as what actions to take to be successful on the battlefield. For more information on command relationships, see Joint Publication (JP) 0-2, Unified Action Armed Forces.

Major Burton is the S-1 for the 130th Engineer Brigade, Multinational Corps-Iraq. Previous assignments include combat engineer platoon leader and company executive officer, 588th Engineer Battalion; company commander, Alpha Company, 5th Engineer Battalion; engineer observer-controller, National Training Center; and budget officer. Headquarters, United States Military Entrance Processing Command (USMEPCOM).

By Major Matthew V. Burton