Effects-Based Command and Control: An Alternative Organizational Structure for the Joint Force Commander

: The United States military is in a period of transformation and is consequently conducting significant research, analysis, and experimentation to determine the nature of future warfare and its required joint force capabilities. U.S. Joint Forces Command, the lead military organization tasked with exploring military transformation and experimentation has proposed that joint and combined operations in the 21st century will be characterized by a concept known as Rapid Decisive Operations (RDO). As part of the research and analysis of the RDO concept, exploration into the ways in which the Joint Force Commander (JFC) will need to organize their command and control (C2) architecture to match the future war fighting environment is occurring. Based on initial evidence, it appears that the current C2 architecture and "ad hoc" nature of JFC's headquarters structure will not adequately support the RDO concept. An entirely new approach to organizing the JFC C2 architecture is needed in order to more efficiently and effectively plan and execute an effects-based campaign; thereby fully capitalizing on the speed and agility envisioned RDO. This paper proposes that an Effects-Based Command and Control architecture may be the answer. An Effects-Based Command and Control architecture is primarily based on the ability to plan, coordinate, and execute an effects-based campaign; taking into consideration all elements of national power in order to counter the adversary. This conceptual C2 architecture leverages and incorporates the interrelated concepts of RDO, effects-based campaigning, effects-based operations, the Standing Joint Force headquarters organization, and joint tactical groups/joint tactical actions into one complete C2 structure for the JFC.