Transfer of Unified Command Plan Responsibilities

President Obama approved the Secretary of Defense's August 29, 2016 request to transfer certain responsibilities within the Unified Command Plan, which governs how U.S. military combatant commands are organized. The Secretary of Defense is directed to notify Congress of this change on the President's behalf and to publish the memorandum in the Federal Register.

Federal Register Open PDF 81 FR 69367

Impact dates

Date TBD
Federal Register publication

Key directives

Approve Secretary of Defense's August 29, 2016 request to relieve responsibilities in the Unified Command Plan
Direct the Secretary of Defense to notify Congress on the President's behalf
Authorize and direct publication of this memorandum in the Federal Register

Who is ordered

Secretary of Defense · Department of Defense

Timeline

Immediate

Approval of Secretary of Defense's request for relief of responsibilities in Unified Command Plan
Direction to notify Congress

Near term (90d)

Federal Register publication of memorandum

Long term

Potential reorganization of military command structures depending on specific responsibilities transferred

Risks & tensions

Specific responsibilities being transferred are not disclosed in the memorandum text, creating uncertainty about scope of reorganization
Low transparency given classified nature of Unified Command Plan details