3 December 2004
STRATCOM reorganization underway
By Capt. Cristina Oxtra
USSTRATCOM Public Affairs
space and missile times

USSTRATCOM will continue to combine the synergy of the U.S. strategic deterrent mission and the recently integrated space missions with four previously unassigned missions: global strike; information operations; integrated missile defense; global command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance.

During the first phase of the reorganization, begun on Nov. 15, the command is aligning functions to more closely resemble those at the Department of Defense's Joint Staff and other unified combatant commands. The new organization incorporates the warfighting skills of intelligence, logistics, command and control, communications and computer systems under the control of the Director of Global Operations, commonly known in military terms as the "J3."

Maj. Gen. Kevin Campbell, USSTRATCOM chief of staff and leader of the reorganization team, said he is confident that the changes will improve USSTRATCOM's effectiveness and efficiency.

"Our J3 construct places all current operations-related activities under one director," Campbell said. "This particular configuration ensures our operators, regardless of where around the world they may be deployed, are all focused on the same set of command priorities."

In addition to the Director of Global Operations or "J3," the new headquarters structure also establishes an Office of Manpower and Personnel (J1), a Directorate of Plans and Policy (J5), and a Directorate of Capability and Resource Integration (J8). This will posture the command to plan, integrate, and provide leadership for the command's unique mission set.

Realigning headquarters functions is just one step in an overall strategy to streamline USSTRATCOM's operations to better support the warfighter. The command has also taken steps to create subordinate commands or Joint Functional Component Commands that will take over some current STRAT functions like day-to-day planning and execution for USSTRATCOM's primary mission areas. The missions of the four JFCCs will be space and global strike; intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance; information operations; and missile defense.

USSTRATCOM will exercise overall command and control of the subordinate commands, integrate planning across all mission areas and advocate for needed capabilities to fulfill component requirements.

Precise timelines for establishing full operating capability of the subordinate commands are still being developed.

Because USSTRATCOM will provide some civilian and military staffing to facilitate the establishment of these subordinate commands, Campbell and his staff are anticipating additional headquarters organizational changes. "We are working closely with the JFCC commanders to identify how many people they will need to fulfill their mission responsibilities," he said. "The initial staffing for the JFCCs will be derived from the existing commands, both Headquarters STRATCOM and the Army and Air Force service commands. The stand-up of these organizations will require minimal additional manpower, with some additional JFCC presence at Offutt."

Additionally, USSTRATCOM will leverage Department of Defense agencies in standing up the JFCCs for information operations and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance.

Although this phase of the realignment will develop more slowly, Campbell said the changes are part of the evolution of the organization and a necessary step in maintaining USSTRATCOM's relevance in today's global security environment.

"In the past, our complex organizational structure caused the services to struggle to pull together the various organizations supporting our missions. While each of our missions is clearly distinguishable, they are all global in nature - spanning across multiple levels and lines of authority, across regional boundaries and intersecting with various national agencies," Campbell said. "I believe the new construct reduces the layers within the headquarters, introduces an opportunity to reduce our footprint by moving functions into the Joint Functional Component Commands, focuses the services on a single service-led component, and establishes permanent commands dedicated to a mission."

For more information contact the USSTRATCOM internal
information branch at (402) 232-8996.