page_title: NATO Military Committee
section_title: Role
hierarchical_section_title: NATO Military Committee / Role
caption_attribution_description: NATO's Chairman of the Military Committee General Knud Bartels makes opening statements. 18th Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Martin E. Dempsey meets with NATO Military Committee counterparts in Brussels, Belgium, May 21, 2014. The alliance of 28-member-countries' chiefs discussed current military issues to include the way ahead in Afghanistan, Ukraine, and future threats. DoD photo by SSG Sean K. Harp
context_page_description: The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation Military Committee is the body of NATO that is composed of member states' Chiefs of Defence. These national CHODs are regularly represented in the MC by their permanent Military Representatives, who often are two- or three-star flag officers. Like the Council, from time to time the Military Committee also meets at a higher level, namely at the level of Chiefs of Defence, the most senior military officer in each nation's armed forces.
context_section_description: The MC assists and advises the North Atlantic Council (NAC), Defence Planning Committee, and Nuclear Planning Group on military matters including policy and strategy. Its principal role is to provide direction and advice on military policy and strategy. It provides guidance on military matters to the NATO Strategic Commanders, whose representatives attend its meetings, and is responsible for the overall conduct of the military affairs of the Alliance under the authority of the Council. The executive body of the MC is the International Military Staff (IMS).
  The NATO Command Structure (NCS), consisting of two strategic commands directed by the North Atlantic Council (NAC):
  Liaison:      Provides advice and support to the NAC
caption: Chairman in 2014, General Knud Bartels
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