C2 Policy Evolution at the US Department of Defense. WWMCCS to a Unified Military Command Capability

Abstract

The primary command and control policy document for the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) has been unchanged since 1971, the last time that DoD Directive 5100.30 titled “The World Wide Military Command and Control System” was published. Since this publication has, in effect, been obsolete for at least 10-15 years, one could argue that we have been operating without a Department-level C2 policy for at least that long. By all accounts, as witnessed during recent conflict, our tactical forces are doing a better job of C2 than ever before. The same might not be said for national and strategic C2. Nor may we believe coalition C2 is improved. This situation then begs the following questions: is tactical C2 better because we have no effective department-level policy or in spite of that fact? Is a broad Departmental policy for command and control required only at the strategic and national level, and, if so, what should it address? Is DoD C2 policy necessary to address strategic or tactical C2; national or global issues: regional or theater concerns: or should it be directed primarily toward the joint and coalition environment, or all of the above. A more basic issue is what areas of C2 should be addressed. Some potential categories that come to mind are national, strategic, nuclear, global, regional, theater, joint, tactical, coalition, etc. Finally, but not of least importance, regardless of the categories selected, is a C2 policy needed to determine who should be in charge of ensuring command and control capabilities, at any level, meet the needs of the warfighter and how do these roles and responsibilities fit with legislative and regulatory mandates? Importantly, as we move into a net-centric environment, does C2 change? Is an entirely new policy required that transcends previous policy? Logically, it seems a DoD directive that codifies overall C2 policy for the Department should be at the forefront of DoD directives. This paper will examine the issues associated with replacing the WWMCCS policy of the past and, perhaps more importantly, open a dialog with respect to the future of C2 policies within DoD.