Combatant Commanders are directly responsible to whom for performance of assigned missions?

• A. National Command Authority
• B. The President
• C. The Secretary of Defense
• D. The Secretary of Navy

Answer: (A)

Combatant Commanders operate under the National Command Authority for the performance of their assigned missions. The National Command Authority, made up of the President and the Secretary of Defense acting together, is the authority that directs and approves the use of armed forces. CCDRs have operational control to execute missions, but their authority and accountability flow directly to this civilian leadership. The President alone or the Secretary of Defense alone do not represent the full authority, and the Secretary of the Navy is not the overarching commander for all combatant commands. In practice, when a mission is planned and authorized, the President and the Secretary of Defense set the direction, and the Combatant Commanders implement it under that guidance.