§161. Combatant commands: establishment
(a)
(1) establish unified combatant commands and specified combatant commands to perform military missions; and
(2) prescribe the force structure of those commands.
(b)
(A) review the missions, responsibilities (including geographic boundaries), and force structure of each combatant command; and
(B) recommend to the President, through the Secretary of Defense, any changes to such missions, responsibilities, and force structures as may be necessary.
(2) Except during time of hostilities or imminent threat of hostilities, the President shall notify Congress not more than 60 days after-
(A) establishing a new combatant command; or
(B) significantly revising the missions, responsibilities, or force structure of an existing combatant command.
(c)
(1) The term "unified combatant command" means a military command which has broad, continuing missions and which is composed of forces from two or more military departments.
(2) The term "specified combatant command" means a military command which has broad, continuing missions and which is normally composed of forces from a single military department.
(3) The term "combatant command" means a unified combatant command or a specified combatant command.
(Added
Initial Review of Combatant Commands
Section 212 of
Section Referred to in Other Sections
This section is referred to in sections 167, 1051 of this title.