206:(behind but contiguous to the combat zone) that contains lines of communications, establishments for supply or evacuation, and other agencies required for the immediate support and maintenance of the field forces. The Marine Corps component commander will normally focus efforts to deploy, support, and sustain forces, particularly the MAGTF, in the communications zone The commander will normally locate headquarters close to the joint force commander, who usually establishes headquarters in the communications zone.
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defined by the force commander required to conduct or support specific operations. Different theaters of operations within the same theater of war will normally be geographically separate and focused on different enemy forces. Theaters of operations are usually of significant size, allowing for
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By analyzing AO in terms of area of influence and area of interest, a force commander determines whether the assigned AO is appropriate. This analysis may include the forces' capabilities to conduct actions across the warfighting functions.
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Combatant commanders and other joint force commanders use the following organization of the battlespace at the operational level of war. Combatant commanders are assigned an area of responsibility in the
Unified Command Plan.
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Understanding the joint battlespace at the operational level of war in which forces will operate is an important step in setting the conditions for their success. Force commanders must understand the relationship between the
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specifies areas of interest to the component or force commander; the location of friendly and enemy forces, and the capabilities that may be an advantage, the infrastructure, and key terrain that concern the commander.
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The
President of the United States signed the U.S. Unified Command Plan (UCP) 2008 on 17 December 2008, establishing the up-to-date boundaries for the newest Command,
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U.S. Unified
Command Plan (UCP) 2011 was signed on 6 April 2011. Boundaries were adjusted in the high northern latitudes between USEUCOM, USNORTHCOM and USPACOM.
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While the area of interest includes the AO and area of influence, the area of interest may stretch far beyond the other parts of a commander's battlespace.
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and information operations to shape the battlespace to facilitate future operations. Today's area of influence may be tomorrow's AO.
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operations within a noncontiguous battlespace and within an operational framework with noncontiguous deep, close, and rear areas.
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The size of the area of interest normally exceeds the commander's operational reach, which mainly focuses within the scope of
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or a combatant commander, This area doesn't normally encompass the combatant commander's entire area of responsibility.
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Combatant commanders may designate theaters of war, theaters of operation, combat zones, and communications zones.
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in
Somalia during 1992–1993, is an example of a battlefield framework with noncontiguous areas. The United States'
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A commander may also have areas of interest around airbases in other countries neighboring the task force's AO.
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The commander can choose to organize his AO so that his subordinates have contiguous or noncontiguous AOs:
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may define additional operational areas or joint areas to assist in the coordination and execution of
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superiority—in order to provide his ground forces the support they need. Also, the commander sets up
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and supportive arms, such as logistics or reinforcements.
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The term "area of operations" has long been used in the
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