§ 368.6 - Functions of the Military Departments.

(a) The chain of command for purposes other than the operational direction of unified and specified combatant commands runs from the President to the Secretary of Defense to the Secretaries of the Military Departments to the commanders of Service forces.

(b) Subject to the authority, direction, and control of the Secretary of Defense, the Secretaries of the Military Departments are responsible for, and have the authority necessary to conduct, all affairs of their respective Departments, including the following:

(1) Recruiting.

(2) Organizing.

(3) Supplying.

(4) Equipping (including research and development).

(5) Training.

(6) Servicing.

(7) Mobilizing.

(8) Demobilizing.

(9) Administering (including the morale and welfare of personnel).

(10) Maintaining.

(11) The construction, outfitting, and repairs of military equipment.

(12) The construction, maintenance, and repair of buildings, structures, and utilities; the acquisition, management and disposal; and the management of real property of natural resources.

(c) Subject to the authority, direction, and control of the Secretary of Defense, the Secretaries of the Military Departments are responsible to the Secretary of Defense for the following activities of their respective Departments:

(1) The functioning and efficiency of their Departments;

(2) The formulation of policies and programs that are fully consistent with national security objectives and policies established by the President and the Secretary of Defense;

(3) The effective and timely implementation of policy, program, and budget decisions and instructions of the President or Secretary of Defense relating to the functions of each Military Department;

(4) Carrying out the functions of the Military Departments so as to fulfill (to the maximum extent practicable) the current and future operational requirements of the unified and specified combatant commands;

(5) Effective cooperation and coordination between the Military Departments and agencies of the Department of Defense to provide for more effective, efficient, and economical administration and to eliminate duplication;

(6) The presentation and justification of the positions of their respective departments on the plans, programs, and policies of the Department of Defense;

(7) The effective supervision and control of Military Department intelligence activities; and

(8) Such other activities as may be prescribed by law or by the President or Secretary of Defense.

(d) Common functions of the Military Departments. The functions of the Military Departments, under their respective Secretaries, are as follows:

(1) To prepare forces and establish reserves of manpower, equipment, and supplies for the effective prosecution of war and military operations short of war and plan for the expansion of peacetime components to meet the needs of war.

(2) To maintain in readiness mobile reserve forces, properly organized, trained, and equipped for employment in emergency.

(3) To provide adequate, timely, and reliable intelligence and counterintelligence for the Military Department and other agencies as directed by competent authority.

(4) To recruit, organize, train, and equip interoperable forces for assignment to unified and specified combatant commands.

(5) To prepare and submit budgets for their respective departments; justify before the Congress budget requests as approved by the President; and administer the funds made available for maintaining, equipping, and training the forces of their respective departments, including those assigned to unified and specified combatant commands. The budget submissions to the Secretary of Defense by the Military Departments will be prepared on the basis, among other things, of the recommendations of CINCs and of Service component commanders of forces assigned to unified and specified combatant commands.

(6) To conduct research; develop tactics, techniques, and organization; and develop and procure weapons, equipment, and supplies essential to the fulfillment of the functions assigned in this publication.

(7) To develop, garrison, supply, equip, and maintain bases and other installations, including lines of communication, and to provide administrative and logistics support for all forces and bases, unless otherwise directed by the Secretary of Defense.

(8) To provide, as directed, such forces, military missions, and detachments for service in foreign countries as may be required to support the national interests of the United States.

(9) To assist in training and equipping the military forces of foreign nations.

(10) To provide, as directed, administrative and logistic support to the headquarters of unified and specified combatant commands, to include direct support of the development and acquisition of the command and control systems of such headquarters.

(11) To assist each other in the accomplishment of their respective functions, including the provisions of personnel, intelligence, training, facilities, equipment, supplies, and services.

(12) To prepare and submit, in coordination with other Military Departments, mobilization information to the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

(e) Common service functions. The Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps, under their respective Secretaries, are responsible for the following functions:

(1) Determining Service force requirements and making recommendations concerning force requirements to support national security objectives and strategy and to meet the operational requirements of the unified and specified combatant commands.

(2) Planning for the use of the intrinsic capabilities of resources of the other Services which may be made available.

(3) Recommending to the Joint Chiefs of Staff the assignment and deployment of forces to unified and specified combatant commands established by the President through the Secretary of Defense.

(4) Administering Service forces.

(5) Providing logistic support for Service forces, including procurement, distribution, supply, equipment, and maintenance, unless otherwise directed by the Secretary of Defense.

(6) Developing doctrines, procedures, tactics, and techniques employed by Service forces.

(7) Conducting operational testing and evaluation.

(8) Providing for training for joint operations and joint exercises in support of unified and specified combatant command operational requirements, including the following:

(i) Development of Service training, doctrines, procedures, tactics, techniques, and methods of organization in accordance with policies and procedures established in Service publications.

(ii) Development and preparation of Service publications to support the conduct of joint training.

(iii) Determination of Service requirements to enhance the effectiveness of joint training.

(iv) Support of that joint training directed by the Commanders of the Unified and Specified Combatant Commands and conduct of such additional joint training as is mutually agreed upon by the Services concerned.

(9) Operating organic land vehicles, aircraft, and ships or craft.

(10) Consulting and coordinating with with other Services on all matters of joint concern.

(11) Participating with the other Services in the development of the doctrines, procedures, tactics, techniques, training, publications, and equipment for such joint operations as are the primary responsibility of one of the Services.

(f) The forces developed and trained to perform the primary functions set forth hereafter shall be employed to support and supplement the other Military Service forces in carrying out their primary functions, where and whenever such participation shall result in increased effectiveness and shall contribute to the accomplishment of the overall military objectives. As for collateral functions, while the assignment of such functions may establish further justification for stated force requirements, such assignment shall not be used as the sole basis for establishing additional force requirements.

(1) Functions of the Department of the Army. (i) The Army, within the Department of the Army, includes land combat and service forces and any organic aviation and water transport assigned. The Army is responsible for the preparation of land forces necessary for the effective prosecution of war and military operations short of war, except as otherwise assigned and, in accordance with intergrated joint mobilization plans, for the expansion of the peacetime components of the Army to meet the needs of war.

(ii) The primary functions of the Army are:

(A) To organize, train, and equip forces for the conduct of prompt and sustained combat operations on land—specifically, forces to defeat enemy land forces and to seize, occupy, and defend land areas.

(B) To organize, train, equip, and provide forces for appropriate air and missile defense and space control operations, including the provisions of forces as required for the strategic defense of the United States, in accordance with joint doctrines.

(C) To organize, equip, and provide Army forces, in coordination with the other Military Services, for joint amphibious, airborne, and space operations and to provide for the training of such forces, in accordance with joint doctrines. Specifically, the Army will:

(1) Develop, in coordination with the other Military Services, doctrines, tactics, techniques, and equipment of interest to the Army for amphibious operations and not provided for elsewhere.

(2) Develop, in coordination with the other Military Services, the doctrines, procedures, and equipment employed by Army and Marine Corps forces in airborne operations. The Army will have primary responsibility for developing those airborne doctrines, procedures, and equipment that are of common interest to the Army and the Marine Corps.

(3) Develop, in coordination with the other Military Services, doctrines, procedures and equipment employed by Army forces in the conduct of space operations.

(D) To organize, train, equip, and provide forces for the support and conduct of special operations.

(E) To provide equipment, forces procedures, and doctrine necessary for the effective prosecution of electronic warfare operations and, as directed, support of other forces.

(F) To organize, train, equip, and provide forces for the support and conduct of psychological operations.

(G) To provide forces for the occupation of territories abroad, including initial establishment of military government pending transfer of this responsibility to other authority.

(H) To develop doctrines and procedures, in coordination with the other Military Services, for organizing, equipping, training, and employing forces operating on land, except that the development of doctrines and procedures for organizing, equipping, training, and employing Marine Corps units for amphibious operations will be a function of the Marine Corps coordinating, as required, with the other Military Services.

(I) To organize, train, equip, and provide forces, as directed, to operate land lines of communication.

(J) To conduct the following activities:

(1) Functions relating to the management and operation of the Panama Canal, as assigned by the Secretary or Deputy Secretary of Defense.

(2) The authorized civil works program, including projects for improvement of navigation, flood control, beach erosion control, and other water resource developments in the United States, its territories, and its possessions.

(3) Certain other civil activities prescribed by law.

(iii) A collateral function of the Army is to train forces to interdict enemy sea and air power and communications through operations on or from land.

(iv) Army responsibilities in support of space operations include the following:

(A) Organizing, training, equipping, and providing Army forces to support space operations.

(B) Developing in coordination with the other Military Services, tactics, techniques, and equipment employed by Army forces for use in space operations.

(C) Conducting individual and unit training of Army space operations forces.

(D) Participating with other Services in joint space operations, training, and exercises as mutually agreed to by the Services concerned, or as directed by competent authority.

(E) Providing forces for space support operations for the Department of Defense when directed.

(v) Other responsibilities of the Army. With respect to close air support of ground forces, the Army has specific responsibility for the following:

(A) Providing, in accordance with inter-Service agreements, communications, personnel, and equipment employed by Army forces.

(B) Conducting individual and unit training of Army forces.

(C) Developing equipment, tactics, and techniques employed by Army forces.

(2) Functions of the Department of the Navy. (i) The Navy, within the Department of the Navy, includes, in general, naval combat and service forces and such aviation as may be organic therein. The Marine Corps, within the Department of Navy, includes not less than three combat divisions and three air wings and such other land combat, aviation, and other services as may be organic therein. The Coast Guard, when operating as a Service within the Department of the Navy, includes naval combat and service forces and such aviation as may be organic therein.

(A) The Navy and Marine Corps, under the Secretary of the Navy, are responsible for the preparation of Navy and Marine Corps forces necessary for the effective prosecution of war and military operations short of war, except as otherwise assigned and, in accordance with the integrated joint mobilization plans, for the expansion of the peacetime components of the Navy and Marine Corps to meet the needs of war.

(B) During peacetime, the Department of Transportation is responsible for maintaining the United States Coast Guard in a state of readiness so that it may function as a specialized Service in the Navy in time of war or when the President directs. The Coast Guard may also perform its military functions in times of limited war or defense contingency, in support of Naval Component Commanders, without transfer to the Department of the Navy.

(ii) The primary functions of the Navy and/or Marine Corps are:

(A) To organize, train, equip and provide Navy and Marine Corps forces for the conduct of prompt and sustained combat incident to operations at sea, including operations of sea-based aircraft and land-based naval air components—specifically, forces to seek out and destroy enemy naval forces and to suppress enemy sea commerce, to gain and maintain general naval supremacy, to control vital sea areas and to protect vital sea lines of communication, to establish and maintain local superiority (including air) in an area of naval operations, to seize and defend advanced naval bases, and to conduct such land, air, and space operations as may be essential to the prosecution of a naval campaign.

(B) To maintain the Marine Corps which will be organized, trained, and equipped to provide Fleet Marine Forces of combined arms, together with supporting air components, for service with the fleet in the seizure or defense of advanced naval bases and for the conduct of such land operations as may be essential to the prosecution of a naval campaign. In addition, the Marine Corps will provide detachments and organizations for service on armed vessels of the Navy, provide security detachments for the protection of naval property at naval stations and bases, and perform such other duties as the President or the Secretary of Defense may direct. However, these additional duties must not detract from or interfere with, the operations for which the Marine Corps is primarily organized. These functions do not contemplate the creation of a second land army.

(C) Further, the Marine Corps will:

(1) Develop, in coordination with the other Military Services, the doctrines, tactics, techniques, and equipment employed by landing forces in amphibious operations. The Marine Corps will have primary responsibility for the development of those landing force doctrines, tactics, techniques, and equipment which are of common interest to the Army and the Marine Corps.

(2) Train and equip as required, forces for airborne operations, in coordination with the other Military Services, and in accordance with joint doctrines.

(3) Develop, in coordination with the other Military Services, doctrines, procedures, and equipment of interest to the Marine Corps for airborne operations and not provided for by the Army, which has primary responsibility for the development of airborne doctrines, procedures, and techniques, which are of common interest to the Army and Marine Corps.

(D) To organize and equip, in coordination with the other Military Services, and to provide naval forces, including naval close air support and space forces, for the conduct of joint amphibious operations, and to be responsible for the amphibious training of all forces assigned to joint amphibious operations in accordance with joint doctrines.

(E) To develop, in coordination with the other Services, the doctrines, procedures, and equipment of naval forces for amphibious operations and the doctrines and procedures for joint amphibious operations.

(F) To organize, train, equip, and provide forces for strategic nuclear warfare to support strategic deterrence.

(G) To furnish adequate, timely, reliable intelligence for the Coast Guard.

(H) To organize, train, equip, and provide forces for reconnaissance, antisubmarine warfare, protection of shipping, aerial refueling and minelaying, including the air and space aspects thereof, and controlled minefield operations.

(I) To provide the afloat forces for strategic sealift.

(J) To provide air support essential for naval operations.

(K) To organize, train, equip, and provide forces for appropriate air and missile defense and space Control operations, including the provision of forces as required for the strategic defense of the United States, in accordance with joint doctrines.

(L) To provide equipment, forces, procedures, and doctrine necessary for the effective prosecution of electronic warfare operations and, as directed, support of other forces.

(M) To furnish aerial photography, as necessary, for Navy and Marine Corps operations.

(N) To develop, in coordination with the other Services, doctrines, procedures, and equipment employed by Navy and Marine Corps forces in the conduct of space operations.

(O) To provide sea-based launch and space support for the Department of Defense when directed.

(P) To organize, train, equip, and provide forces, as directed, to operate sea lines of communication.

(Q) To organize, train, equip, and provide forces for the support and conduct of special operations.

(R) To organize, train, equip, and provide Navy and Marine Corps forces for the support and conduct of psychological operations.

(S) To coordinate with the Department of Transportation for the peacetime maintenance of the Coast Guard. During war, the Coast Guard will function as a Military Service. The specific wartime functions of the Coast Guard are as follows:

(1) To provide an integrated port security and coastal defense force, in coordination with the other Military Services, for the United States.

(2) To provide specialized Coast Guard units, including designated ships and aircraft, for overseas deployment required by naval component commanders.

(3) To organize and equip, in coordination with the other Military Services, and provide forces for maritime search and rescue, icebreaking, and servicing of maritime aids to navigation.

(iii) The collateral functions of the Navy and Marine Corps include the following:

(A) To interdict enemy land power, air power, and communications through operations at sea.

(B) To conduct close air and naval support for land operations.

(C) To furnish aerial imagery for cartographic purposes.

(D) To be prepared to participate in the overall air and space effort, as directed.

(E) To establish military government, as directed, pending transfer of this responsibility to other authority.

(iv) Navy and Marine Corps responsibilities in support of space operations include:

(A) Organizing, training, equipping, and providing Navy and Marine Corps forces to support space operations.

(B) Developing, in coordination with the other Military Services, tactics, techniques, and equipment employed by Navy and Marine Corps forces for use in space operations.

(C) Conducting individual and unit training of Navy and Marine Corps space operations forces.

(D) Participating with the other Services in joint space operations, training, and exercises, as mutually agreed to by the Services concerned or as directed by competent authority.

(v) Other responsibilities of the Navy and Marine Corps include:

(A) Providing, when directed, logistic support of Coast Guard forces, including procurement, distribution, supply, equipment, and maintenance.

(B) Providing air and land transport essential for naval operations and not otherwise provided for.

(C) Providing and operating sea transport for the Armed Forces other than that which is organic to the individual Services.

(D) Developing, in coordination with the other Services, doctrine and procedures for close air support for naval forces and for joint forces in amphibious operations.

(3) Functions of the Department of the Air Force. (i) The Air Force, within the Department of the Air Force, includes aviation forces, both combat and service, not otherwise assigned. The Air Force is responsible for the preparation of the air forces necessary for the effective prosecution of war and military operations short of war, except as otherwise assigned and, in accordance with integrated joint mobilization plans, for the expansion of the peacetime components of the Air Force to meet the needs of war.

(ii) The primary functions of the Air Force include:

(A) To organize, train, equip, and provide forces for the conduct of prompt and sustained combat operations in the air—specifically, forces to defend the United States against air attack in accordance with doctrines established by the Joint Chiefs of Staff, gain and maintain general air supremacy, defeat enemy air forces, conduct space operations, control vital air areas, and establish local air superiority except as otherwise assigned herein.

(B) To organize, train, equip, and provide forces for appropriate air and missile defense and space control operations, including the provision of forces as required for the strategic defense of the United States, in accordance with joint doctrines.

(C) To organize, train, equip, and provide forces for strategic air and missile warfare.

(D) To organize, equip, and provide forces for joint amphibious, space, and airborne operations, in coordination with the other Military Services, and to provide for their training in accordance with joint doctrines.

(E) To organize, train, equip, and provide forces for close air support and air logistic support to the Army and other forces, as directed, including airlift, air support, resupply of airborne operations, aerial photography, tactical air reconnaissance, and air interdiction of enemy land forces and communications.

(F) To organize, train, equip and provide forces for air transport for the Armed Forces, except as otherwise assigned.

(G) To develop, in coordination with the other Services, doctrines, procedures, and equipment for air defense from land areas, including the United States.

(H) To organize, train, equip, and provide forces to furnish aerial imagery for use by the Army and other agencies as directed, including aerial imagery for cartographic purposes.

(I) To develop, in coordination with the other Services, tactics, techniques, and equipment of interest to the Air Force for amphibious operations and not provided for elsewhere.

(J) To develop, in coordination with the other Services, doctrines, procedures, and equipment employed by Air Force forces in airborne operations.

(K) To provide launch and space support for the Department of Defense, except as otherwise assigned.

(L) To develop, in coordination with the other Services, doctrines, procedures, and equipment employed by Air Force forces in the conduct of space operations.

(M) To organize, train, equip, and provide land-based tanker forces for the in-flight refueling support of strategic operations and deployments of aircraft of the Armed Forces and Air Force tactical operations, except as otherwise assigned.

(N) To organize, train, equip, and provide forces, as directed to operate air lines of communications.

(O) To organize, train, equip, and provide forces for the support and conduct of special operations.

(P) To organize, train, equip, and provide forces for the support and conduct of psychological operations.

(Q) To provide equipment, forces, procedures, and doctrine necessary for the effective prosecution of electronic warfare operations and, as directed, support of other forces.

(iii) Collateral functions of the Air Force include the following:

(A) Surface sea surveillance and antisurface ship warfare through air operations.

(B) Antisubmarine warfare and antiair warfare operations to protect sea lines of communications.

(C) Aerial minelaying operations.

(D) Air-to-air refueling in support of naval campaigns.

(iv) Air Force responsibilities in support of space operations include:

(A) Organizing, training, equipping, and providing forces to support space operations.

(B) Developing, in coordination with the other Military Services, tactics, techniques, and equipment employed by Air Force forces for use in space operations.

(C) Conducting individual and unit training of Air Force space operations forces.

(D) Participating with the other Services in joint space operations, training, and exercises as mutually agreed to by the Services concerned, or as directed by competent authority.

(v) Other responsibilities of the Air Force include:

(A) With respect to amphibious operations, the Air Force will develop, in coordination with the other Services, tactics, techniques, and equipment of interest to the Air Force and not provided for by the Navy and Marine Corps.

(B) With respect to airborne operations, the Air Force has specific responsibility to:

(1) Provide Air Force forces for the air movement of troops, supplies, and equipment in joint airborne operations, including parachute and aircraft landings.

(2) Develop tactics and techniques employed by Air Force forces in the air movement of troops, supplies, and equipment.

(C) With respect to close air support of ground forces, the Air Force has specific responsibility for developing, in coordination with the other Services, doctrines and procedures, except as provided for in Navy responsibilities for amphibious operations and in responsibilities for the Marine Corps.