ALS Military Studies Practice Test

The main idea is that there are two parallel lines of authority: one for actually executing missions and one for keeping the force ready and supported. The operational chain runs from the President, through the Secretary of Defense, to the Combatant Commanders, who have the authority to employ and direct assigned forces to accomplish missions. The administrative chain runs from the President, through the Secretary of Defense, to the Service Secretaries and Service Chiefs, who oversee personnel, training, logistics, equipment, and other support functions. This separation lets combat commands focus on battle tasks while service leaders manage readiness and support. So the correct statement is that one governs operations and the other governs administration.