UNSC High Command (Labyrinth)

The UNSC High Command (HIGHCOM) is a group of military leaders in the United Nations Space Command Defence Force who advise the civilian government of the UNSC. HIGHCOM is defined by statute and consists of a Chairman and Vice Chairman appointed by the Secretary-General of the UEG, and the Chiefs of service from the four branches of the armed services. These officers are the highest ranking personnel in their services, and fulfill the same role as a Chiefs of Staff Committee or Joint Chiefs of Staff.
==History==
As the UNSCDF grew in size following the Interplanetary War, the need for a unified high command within the UEG Department of Defence became clear to prevent squabbling between services for resources and allow smooth planning and coordination of operations. The UNSC High Command was officially established under the National Security Act of 2247. Per the National Security Act, HIGHCOM consisted of a Supreme Commander, the Chief of Staff of the Army, the Chief of Staff of the Air Force, and the Chief of Naval Operations. The Commandant of the Marine Corps was to be consulted on matters concerning the Corps, but was not a regular member; General Louisa C. Shepherd, Commandant in 2252-55, was the first to sit as an occasional member. The law was amended during the term of General Luke H. Williams as Supreme Commander, making the Commandant a full-time HIGHCOM member in parity with the other three UNSC services.
The position of Deputy Supreme Commander was created 2286 to compliment the Supreme Commander as well as to delegate some of the Supreme Commander's responsibilities, particularly concerning procurement.
==Roles and responsibilities==
HIGHCOM does not have operational command of UNSC military forces. Responsibility for conducting military operations goes from the Secretary-General to the Secretary of Defence directly to the commanders of the Joint Force Commands and thus bypasses HIGHCOM completely.
Today, their primary responsibility is to ensure the personnel readiness, policy, planning and training of their respective military services for the Joint Force Commanders to utilize. High Command also acts in a military advisory capacity for the Secretary-General and the Secretary of Defence. In addition, the Supreme Commander of the UNSCDF acts as the chief military advisor to the Secretary-General and the Secretary of Defence. In this strictly advisory role, HIGHCOM constitutes the second-highest deliberatory body for military policy, after the UNSC Security Council (a body distinct from the UNSC Security Committee), which includes the Secretary-General and other officials besides the Supreme Commander.
==Director of the High Command Staff==
The Supreme Commander is assisted by the Director of the High Command Staff, a three-star officer who assists the Supreme Commander with the management of the High Command Staff, an organization composed of approximately equal numbers of officers contributed by the Army, the Navy and Marine Corps, and the Air Force, who have been assigned to assist the Supreme Commander with the unified strategic direction, operation, and integration of the combatant land, naval, and air forces.
==Current High Command==
Name 	Service	Position
Fleet Admiral Edward Harper 	UNSCN 	Supreme Commander of the UNSCDF
Commanding General Joseph T. Casey 	UNSCMC 	Deputy Supreme Commander
General of the Army Juliet Bowles 	UNSCA 	Chief of Staff of the UNSC Army
Fleet Admiral Carolyn Webster 	UNSCN 	Chief of Naval Operations
Marshal of the Air Force Sir Robert Basil-Horton	UNSCAF 	Chief of Staff of the UNSC Air Force
Commanding General Rachel Fabray 	UNSCMC 	Commandant of the Marine Corps
==Organisation==
===Supreme Commander of the UNSCDF===
The Supreme Commander of the UNSCDF is, by law, the highest ranking military officer of the UNSC Defence Force, and the principal military adviser to the Secretary-General. His position should not be confused with the Commander-in-Chief of the UNSC Defence Forces, a position held solely be the Secretary-General. He leads the meetings and coordinates the efforts of High Command. The members of HIGHCOM have offices in the UNSC Central Command. The Supreme Commander outranks all respective heads of each service branch, but does not have command authority over them, their service branches or the Joint Force Commands. All Joint Force Commanders receive operational orders directly from the Secretary of Defence.
Although the office of Supreme Commander is considered very important and highly prestigious, neither the Supreme Commander, the Deputy Supreme Commander, and High Command as a body have any command authority over combatant forces. The chain of command is, by law, from the Secretary-General to the Secretary of Defence directly to the commanders of the Joint Force Commands. However, the chiefs do have authority over personnel assignments and oversight over resources and personnel allocated to the force commands within their respective services. The Supreme Commander may also transmit communications to the Joint Force Commanders from the Secretary-General and Secretary of Defence, as well as allocate additional funding to the Joint Force Commanders if necessary.
The Supreme Commander is nominated by the Secretary-General for appointment and must be confirmed via majority vote by the Senate. By statute, the Supreme Commander is appointed as a four-star officer.
Fleet Admiral Edward Harper, UNSCN, is the 17th and current Supreme Commander, and began his term on January 12th, 2560.
===Deputy Supreme Commander===
The position of Deputy Supreme Commander is held by a four- or five-star officer and, by law, is the second highest ranking member of the UNSCDF (after the Supreme Commander). In the absence of the Supreme Commander, the Deputy Supreme Commander presides over the meetings of High Command. He may also perform such duties as the Supreme Commander may prescribe. The Deputy Supreme Commander outranks all respective heads of each service branch, with the exception of the Supreme Commander, but does not have command authority over them or their service branches.
The current Deputy Supreme Commander is Marine Corps Commanding General Joseph T. Casey.
===Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Supreme Commander===
The position of Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Supreme Commander (SEASC) was established to advise the Supreme Commander on all matters involving enlisted personnel in a joint environment.
As the SEA to the Supreme Commander, the SEASC advises on all matters concerning joint and combined total force integration, utilization, and development. Additionally, the SEASC helps develop noncommissioned officers (NCOs)-related joint professional education, enhances utilization of senior NCOs on joint battle staffs, and supports the Supreme Commander's responsibilities as directed.
The position of Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Supreme Commander is currently held by Flight Sergeant Michael C. Ortega of the UNSC Air Force.
===Chief of Staff of the UNSC Air Force===
The Chief of Staff of the UNSC Air Force (CSAF) is the senior uniformed officer of the UNSC Air Force and is a member of the UNSC High Command. The CSAF heads the Air Staff and reports directly to the Secretary of the Air Force on matters of the Air Force. Under the authority of the secretary, the CSAF is responsible for the organisation, training, and equipping of the active-duty, reserve, and civilian forces serving in the UNSCAF. The CSAF also designates Air Force personnel and resources to the commanders of Joint Force Commands. The CSAF also performs all other functions assigned by the Secretary of the Air Force, or delegates those duties and responsibilities to other officers in his administration under his name.
The CSAF is nominated for appointment by the Secretary-General and must be confirmed via majority vote by the Senate. By statute, the CSAF is appointed as a four- or five-star Air Officer. Like the other members of HIGHCOM, the CSAF is an administrative position, with no operational command authority over the UNSC Air Force.
The current Chief of Staff of the UNSC Air Force is Marshal of the Air Force Sir Robert Basil-Horton.
===Chief of Staff of the UNSC Army===
The Chief of Staff of the UNSC Army (CSA) is typically the highest ranking officer in the UNSC Army (unless the Supreme Commander and/or the Deputy Supreme Commander are army officers).
The Senior Leadership of the UNSC Army consists of two civilians - the Secretary of the Army and the Under Secretary of the Army - and two military officers - the Chief of Staff of the UNSC Army and the Vice Chief of Staff of the UNSC Army.
The CSA reports directly to the Secretary of the Army for army matters and assists in the secretary's external affairs functions including: presenting and enforcing Army policies, plans, and programs. The CSA submits army budgets and projections to the Secretary of Defence, the executive branch, and Parliament. The Chief of Staff also directs the Inspector General to perform inspections and investigations as required. The Chief of Staff also presides over the Army Staff and represents Army capabilities, requirements, policy, plans, and programs in Joint fora. Under the authority of the Secretary of the Army, the CSA also designates army personnel and army resources to the commanders of Joint Force Commands. Like the other High Command chiefs, the Chief of Staff is an administrative position and has had no operational command authority over UNSC Army forces.
The CSA is nominated by the Secretary-General and must be confirmed by majority vote from the Senate. By statute, the CSA is appointed as a four- or five-star general. The current CSA is General of the Army Juliet Bowles.
===Commandant of the Marine Corps===
The Commandant of the Marine Corps (CMC) is the highest ranking officer in the UNSC Marine Corps. The CMC reports directly to the Secretary of the Navy and is responsible for ensuring the organisation, policy, plans, and programs for the Marine Corps as well as advising the Secretary-General, the Secretary of Defence, the UNSC Security Council, and the Secretary of the Navy on matters involving the Marine Corps. Under the authority of the Secretary of the Navy, the CMC designates Marine personnel and resources to the commanders of Joint Force Commands. As with the other High Command chiefs, the commandant is an administrative position and has no operational command authority over UNSC Marine Corps forces.
The Commandant is nominated by the Secretary-General and must be confirmed by the Senate and is appointed as a four- or five-star general. The Commandant is directly responsible to the Secretary of the Navy for the total performance of the Marine Corps. This includes the administration, discipline, internal organisation, training, requirements, efficiency, and readiness of the service. The Commandant is also responsible for the operation of the Marine Corps material support system. The current CMC is Commanding General Rachel Fabray.
===Chief of Naval Operations===
The Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) is typically the highest ranking officer in the UNSC Navy. The CNO reports directly to the Secretary of the Navy for the command, utilization of resources and operating efficiency of the operating forces of the Navy and of the Navy shore activities assigned by the Secretary. Under the authority of the Secretary of the Navy, the CNO also designates naval personnel and naval resources to the commanders of Joint Force Commands. The CNO also performs all other functions assigned by the secretary or delegates those duties and responsibilities to other officers in his administration under his name. Like the other chiefs, the CNO is an administrative position and has no operational command authority over UNSC naval forces.
The CNO is the principal adviser to the Secretary-General, the Secretary of Defence and to the Secretary of the Navy on the conduct of naval warfare. The Chief of Naval Operations is nominated by the Secretary-General for appointment and must be confirmed via majority vote by the Senate. A requirement for being Chief of Naval Operations is having significant experience in joint duty assignments, which includes at least one full tour of duty in a joint duty assignment as a flag officer. However the Secretary-General may waive those requirements if he determines the officer is necessary for national interest. By statute, the CNO is appointed as a four- or five-star admiral.
The Office of the Chief of Naval Operations includes the Chief of Naval Operations, the Vice Chief of Naval Operations, the Deputy Chiefs of Naval Operations, the Assistant Chiefs of Naval Operations, the Surgeon General of the Navy, the Chief of Naval Personnel, the Chief of Legislative Affairs, the Chief of Chaplains of the Navy, and other members of the Navy or Marines or civilians in the Department of the Navy assigned or detailed to the Office. The current CNO is Fleet Admiral Carolyn Webster.
===Directorates of the High Command Staff===
The UNSC High Command organisation includes the following departments where all the High Command Staff's planning, policies, intelligence, manpower, communications and logistics functions are translated into action.
*DOM - Directorate of Management 
*J1 - Personnel and Manpower 
*J2 - Intelligence 
*J3 - Operations 
*J4 - Logistics 
*J5 - Strategic Plans and Policy 
*J6 - Command, Control, Communications and Computer Systems 
*J7 - Operational Plans and Joint Force Development 
*J8 - Force Structure, Resources, and Assessment
==See Also==
*UNSC Central Command - Headquarters of the UEG Department of Defence
*UEG Department of Defence
*Military staff
Category:War of Vengeance