https://armypubs.army.mil/epubs/DR_pubs/DR_a/pdf/web/m1_18.pdf
Headquarters
Department of the Army
Washington, DC
18 February 2014
Administration
Joint Actions
Applicability. This memorandum applies to Headquarters, Department of the Army (HQDA) agencies only.
Proponent and exception authority. The proponent of this memorandum is the Director of the Army Staff
(DAS). The DAS has the authority to approve exceptions to this memorandum that are consistent with
controlling law and regulation. The DAS may not delegate this exception authority.
Paragraph Page
Purpose ............................................................................................................................. 1 1
References ........................................................................................................................ 2 1
Explanation of abbreviations and terms ....................................................................... 3 1
Responsibilities ................................................................................................................ 4 1
Policy ............................................................................................................................... 5 2
Appendix A ..................................................................................................................... 2
Glossary ........................................................................................................................... 3
1. Purpose
This memorandum prescribes HQDA policy and assigns responsibility for processing Joint actions and
preparing Army senior leaders for meetings of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS).
2. References
Required and related publications and prescribed and referenced forms are listed in appendix A.
3. Explanation of abbreviations and terms
Abbreviations and special terms used in this memorandum are explained in the glossary.
4. Responsibilities
a. Chief of Staff, Army. The Chief of Staff, Army (CSA) serves as the Army member of the JCS and
performs the duties prescribed as a member of the JCS under Title 10, United States Code, Section 151 (10
USC 151). Subject to the authority, direction, and control of the Secretary of the Army (SA), the CSA will
ensure the Army’s requirements, plans, and capabilities are appropriately addressed at JCS meetings. In
accordance with 10 USC 3033(e)(2), to the extent that such action does not impair the independence of the
CSA in the performance of the duties as a member of the JCS, the CSA shall inform the SA regarding
military advice rendered by members of the JCS on matters affecting the Department of the Army. In
accordance with 10 USC 3033(3), the CSA shall also keep the SA fully informed of significant military
*DA Memo 1–18
*This memorandum supersedes DA Memo 1–18, dated 1 August 2003.
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operations affecting the duties and responsibilities of the SA. In the absence of the CSA, the Vice Chief of
Staff, Army (VCSA) will serve as the principal alternate to the CSA for Joint affairs.
b. Deputy Chief of Staff, G–3/5/7. The Deputy Chief of Staff, G–3/5/7 will serve as the Army
Operations Deputy (OPSDEP) to consider matters within the cognizance of the JCS. The OPSDEP is
responsible to the CSA for all matters pertaining to Army participation in Joint affairs. The Director,
Strategy Plans and Policy (G–3/5SS) is the Army Deputy, Operations Deputy (DEPOPSDEP) and serves as
the principal alternate to the Army OPSDEP for Joint affairs.
c. Director, Army Office of Joint of Defense Affairs. The Director of the Office of Joint and Defense
Affairs (OJDA) supports the CSA, VCSA, OPSDEP, and the DEPOPSDEP in their Joint responsibilities.
OJDA is a staff directorate in the Office of the Chief of Staff, Army and is the Army’s lead agent for Joint
actions. OJDA serves as the official Army channel of communication and final reviewer for Army positions
on all Joint matters. OJDA consists of the Army Planners, the Army Joint Actions Control Office (Army
JACO), and the OJDA Army Tank Team.
(1) Army Planners support the CSA, VCSA, OPSDEP, and DEPOPSDEP on Joint matters. Army
Planners are the Army’s authority below DEPOPSDEP level for Joint actions. Army Planners assist Army
action officers in the development of coordinated Army positions on Joint matters and assist in preparing
Army senior leaders for meetings of the JCS.
(2) Army JACO is sub-component of OJDA and is the Army’s official administrative channel of
communication with the Joint Staff for Joint actions. Army JACO assigns all Joint actions to appropriate
agencies for action, utilizes the HQDA Tracking System to manage Joint actions, and supports the Army
Planners in finalizing and transmitting integrated Army positions to the Joint Staff.
(3) The OJDA Army Tank Team supports the CSA, VCSA, OPSDEP, DEPOPSDEP, and Army
Planners in scheduling and coordinating JCS and OPSDEP Tanks (and related preparatory sessions). The
OJDA Army Tank Team works with Army Planners and Army Staff (ARSTAF) action officers in
development, preparation, and quality control of all briefing products and materials presented to the ArmyÆs
senior leaders for meetings of the JCS.
d. Directors/Division/Staff Agency Heads (Secretariat or Army Staff). Directors/Division/Staff Agency
Heads (Secretariat or ARSTAF) are responsible for advising the SA and CSA through the Army’s OPSDEP
regarding Joint matters in their respective areas of responsibility. Agency heads will assign appropriate action
officers upon being tasked with a Joint action and will provide action officer names and contact information
to Army JACO. Directors/Division/Staff Agency Heads (Secretariat or ARSTAF) ensure staff action officers
respond to Army JACO taskings in a timely, accurate, complete, and properly coordinated manner. Directors/
Division/Staff Agency Heads (Secretariat or ARSTAF) also supervise designated action officers in the
preparation of briefings and supporting materials to prepare Army senior leaders to attend meetings of the
JCS.
5. Policy
a. The Office of Joint and Defense Affairs is the Army’s Office of Primary Responsibility for Joint
actions and for preparing Army senior leaders for meetings of the JCS Tanks and selected meetings of the
Department of Defense.
b. The Army’s response to Joint actions must reflect a thoroughly coordinated Service position. Staff
papers in response to Joint actions, to include those by staff agency heads authorized to communicate
directly with Joint Staff agencies, will be coordinated through the Army Planners in the Office of Joint and
Defense Affairs to ensure consistency with Army positions.
c. Army JACO has tasking authority in order to respond to Joint actions.
d. Action Officer’s Guide to Joint Actions and Tanks provides procedures for processing Joint actions and
preparing Army senior leaders for Tanks.
e. Dual-tasked actions are actions tasked via both the Joint Staff and the Office of the Secretary of
Defense (OSD) and may be answered in one of three ways: answered by the Army Secretariat directly to
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the OSD tasking office after coordination with OJDA (to ensure consistency of Army positions); answered
by the ARSTAF through OJDA to the Joint Staff; or in rare cases, answered through both channels.
Appendix A
References
Section I
Required Publications
Army Office of Joint and Defense Affairs
Action Officer’s Guide to Joint Actions and Tanks (Cited in para 5d.)
10 USC 151
Joint Chiefs of Staff: Composition and Functions (Cited in para 4a.)
10 USC 3033
Chief of Staff (Cited in para 4a.)
Section II
Related Publications
AR 380–5
Department of the Army Information Security Program
CJCSI 5002.01
Joint Chiefs of Staff: Composition and Functions
JCSI 5711.01E
Joint Staff Instruction: Action Processing, 24 May 13
Section III
Prescribed Forms
This section contains no entries.
Section IV
Referenced Forms
This section contains no entries.
Glossary
Section I
Abbreviations
ARSTAF
Army Staff
CSA
Chief of Staff, Army
DA Memo 1–18
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DAS
Director of the Army Staff
DEPOPSDEP
Deputy, Operations Deputy
G–3/5 SS
Director, Strategy Plans and Policy
HQDA
Headquarters, Department of the Army
JACO
Joint Actions Control Office
JCS
Joint Chiefs of Staff
OJDA
Army Office of Joint and Defense Affairs
OPSDEP
Operations Deputy
OSD
Office of the Secretary of Defense
SA
Secretary of the Army
USC
United States Code
VCSA
Vice Chief of Staff, Army
Section II
Terms
This section contains no entries.
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Section III
Special Abbreviations and Terms
This section contains no entries.
Distribution:
This publication is available in electronic media only and is intended for Headquarters, Department of the
Army.
DA Memo 1–18
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