JP 3-0, page 58

Chapter III III-6 JP 3-0 e. Area of Operations and Functional Considerations (1) Command and Control in an Area of Operations. The land and maritime force commanders are the supported commanders within their designated areas of operations (AOs). Through C2, JFLCCs and JFMCCs integrate and synchronize movement and maneuver with intelligence, fires, protection, and sustainment and the supporting IO COMMAND RELATIONSHIPS DURING OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM In December 2002, representatives from United States Central Command (USCENTCOM) and United States European Command (USEUCOM) met in Stuttgart, Germany to discuss Operation IRAQI FREEDOM (OIF). The two broad issues were organizing the operational area and coordinating the command relationships for all OIF phases. The USCENTCOM OIF theater of operations would by necessity cross the Unified Command Plan (UCP) designated USCENTCOM and USEUCOM areas of responsibility (AORs) boundary. Specifically, the land and airspace of Turkey was recognized for its potential to contribute to opening a northern line of operation. Discussions over the potential options for organizing the OIF operational area led to an agreement not to request a temporary change in the UCP modifying the AORs, but to rely on the establishment of appropriate command relationships between the two combatant commanders (CCDRs). Discussions over the potential command and control options led to the decision to establish a support relationship between USCENTCOM (supported) and USEUCOM (supporting). This relationship was established by the Secretary of Defense. It enabled the development of coherent and supporting campaign plans. In the campaign design and plan, USEUCOM retained tactical control for the coordination and execution of operational movement (i.e., reception, staging, onward movement, and integration); intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance; logistic and personnel support; and protection in support of USCENTCOM forces transiting the USEUCOM AOR; specifically Turkey. Once USCENTCOM-allocated joint forces were positioned and prepared to cross the Turkish–Iraqi border (to commence offensive operations) operational control would be given to USCENTCOM. Maintaining UCP AOR boundaries and the establishment of an umbrella support relationship between the CCDRs with conditional command authorities exercised over the participating forces based on their readiness and operation phase provided a workable solution to the integration and employment of joint forces on the boundary of two AORs. Various Sources