Overcoming the 'Ad Hoc' Nature of the Joint or Combined Task Force Headquarters

摘要

This monograph discusses progress made toward overcoming inherit difficulties ofthe joint or combined task force headquarters. Since the end of the Second World War the United States Armed Forces have increasingly used either joint or combined task forces to accomplish military missions. Although most of these joint and combined endeavors achieve their objectives, a lack of interoperability between the services has often overshadowed mission accomplishment. The Goldwater-Nichols Defense Reorganization Act of 1986 is the latest legislative attempt, by the United States Government, to unified the action of its armed forces and achieve a greater interoperability between the services. This monograph examines the impact of Goldwater-Nichols on the ability of the United States Armed Forces to overcome the difficulties previously encountered in the quickly assembled joint or combined task force headquarters. An examination of Operations, JUST CAUSE, PROVIDE COMFORT, and RESTORE HOPE shows the impact of Goldwater-Nichols. This examination reveals that although much has improved since the passage of Goldwater-Nichols much more improvement is still required to fully overcome the ad hoc nature of the joint and combined task force headquarters.