Chapter VIII
Agencies for Effecting Coordination

Contents

Para-
graph
Subject Page
  Section I  
125 Sanction of joint agencies 129
  Section II  
126-129 The Joint Board 129,130
  Section III  
130-132 The Aeronautical Board 130,131
  Section IV  
133-135 Army and Navy Munitions Board 132
  Section V  
136-137 Joint Merchant Vessel Board 133
  Section VI  
138-139 Local joint planning committees 133,134
  Section VII  
140-144 Joint Economy Board 134,135

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[B L A N K]

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Section I
Sanction of Joint Agencies

  1. The existing joint agencies for coordination between the Army and the Navy have no legislative nor executive basis for existence. These agencies exist as a result of agreement between the Secretaries of the War and Navy Departments. The recommendations of these joint agencies are advisory only and become effective upon approval by both Secretaries, and in some cases upon further approval by the President.

Section II--The Joint Board

  1. The authority for The Joint Board is contained in War Department G.O. No. 94, 1919, as amended by G.O. No. 29, 1923, and Navy Department G.O. No. 24, 1921, as amended by G.O. No. 162, 1927. The board consists, on the party of the Army, of the Chief of Staff, the Deputy Chief of Staff, and the Assistant Chief of Staff, War Plans Division, General Staff; and on the part of the Navy, of the Chief of Naval Operations, the Assistant Chief of Naval Operations, and the Director, War Plans Division, Office of Naval Operations.

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    The board is provided with a secretary detailed form the permanent personnel of either the War Department or the Navy Department.

  1. Any matter which, to either the War or the Navy Department, seems to call for consideration as to cooperation between the two services may be referred by that department to The Joint Board. The Joint Board may also originate consideration of such subjects as in its judgment are necessary. The board confers upon, discusses, and reaches such common conclusions as may be practicable regarding such matters. Proceedings and reports of the board are confidential. Each department receives a copy of the report of the board.

  2. [»] The authority for the joint planning committee is contained in War Department G.O. No. 94, 1919, as amended by G.O. No. 29, 1923, and Navy Department G.O. 24, 1921. The committee consists of three or more members of the War Plans division, War Department General Staff, and three or more members of the War Plans Division of the Office of Naval Operations.

  3. The committee is an agency of The Joint Board for the detailed investigation, study, and development of policies, projects, and plans relative to the national defense and involving joint action of the Army and the Navy. The committee may also originate consideration of such subjects as, in its judgment, are necessary. The members are authorized to consult and confer freely on all matters of defense and military policy 9n which the Army and the Navy are jointly concerned, and to consider this joint work as their most important duty. Its procedure is informal; its reports and recommendations are confidential; its reports and recommendations go to The Joint Board.

Section III
The Aeronautical Board

  1. [»] The authority for the Aeronautical Board is contained in War Department G.O. No. 2, 1927., as amended by G.O. No. 5, 1932, and Navy Department G.O. No. 227, 1932. The board consists, on the part of the Army, of the Chief of Air COrps, the Assistant to Chief of Air Corps, and one member of the War Plans Division of the War Department General Staff; on the party of the

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    Navy, of the Chief of Bureau of Aeronautics, the Chief of Planning Division of his office, and one member of the War Plans Division, office of Chief of Naval Operations. The War Plans Division members are not eligible for duty with The Joint Board or the joint planning committee. The board is provided with a secretary detailed from the permanent personnel of either the War Department or the Navy Department.

  1. [»] The purpose of the board is to prevent duplication of effort and to secure a more complete measure of cooperation and coordination in the development and employment of the Army Air Corps and Naval Aviation. It is also charged with the duty of originating consideration of such subjects when, in its judgment, it is necessary, and of recommending whatever it considers essential to establish sufficiency and efficiency of cooperation and coordination of effort between the Army Air Corps and Naval Aviation. The board investigates, studies, and renders reports to the Secretary of War and the Secretary of the Navy upon all questions affecting jointly the development and employment of aviation of both services referred to it by the Secretary of War, by the Secretary of the Navy, by The Joint Board, by the Chief of the Army Air Corps, or by the Chief of the Bureau of Aeronautics of the Navy. All recommendations of the Aeronautical Board affecting joint policies or joint plans for the tactical or strategical employment of aircraft or for the location of air stations are addressed to The Joint Board for consideration and recommendation to the Secretary of War and the Secretary of the Navy. The board also is required to formulate and submit to The Joint Board for approval suitable joint Army and Navy aircraft problems to be carried out each year.

  2. [»] In the execution of the foregoing the board is governed by the following: The development of new types of aircraft and accessories is, so far as practicable, assigned to the Army or Navy and is carried on only by the service to which assigned. Either service may employ any types of aircraft or weapons after their development. The board prepares plans to prevent competition in the procurement of material, when the chiefs of the two services have been unable to come to an agreement concerning procurement. Joint plans for the procurement of material in time of war will be submitted to the

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    Army and Navy Munitions Board. The board is specifically charged with the consideration and recommendation of all projects for experimental stations on shore, for coastal air stations, and for stations to be used jointly by the Army and Navy, or for extensive additions thereto, and with consideration of and recommendation in regard to all estimates of appropriations for the aeronautical programs of the Army and Navy before such estimates are submitted to Congress.

Section IV
Army and Navy Munitions Board

  1. [»] The authority for the Army and Navy Munitions Board is contained in The Joint Board's letter J.B. No. 346 (Serial No. 181), of June 27, 1922, approved by the Secretary of War and the Secretary of the Navy June 29, 1922. The board consists of The Assistant Secretary of War and the Assistant Secretary of the Navy, assisted by an executive committee composed of officers on duty in the War and Navy Departments, as follows:

    Three officers of the Army and three officers of the Navy to be selected by the Secretary of War and the Secretary of the Navy, respectively.

  2. [»] The board is authorized and directed to--

    1. Formulate and keep up to date such pertinent plans and policies as in the opinion of the two Departments should be adopted by the Federal Government for coordinating and controlling national industrial effort in emergency.

    2. Assure the necessary coordination in the procurement war plans of the two services, and in all plans, studies, and appendices thereto intended to facilitate the Government's efforts in emergency to promote orderly mobilization of industry.

    3. Form and direct the activities of such joint committees as may be necessary to consider, investigate, and make recommendations concerning pertinent subjects falling within the purview of the Board's responsibilities.

  3. Approval of action taken by the Munitions Board is not required, except that any plans prepared by it that affect joint war plans and joint Army and Navy policy relative to the national

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    defenses are required to be referred to The Joint Board for consideration before submission to the Secretaries of War and Navy.

Section V
Joint Merchant Vessel Board

  1. The Joint Army and Navy Board of Survey of Merchant Vessels was established August 21, 1916, as the result of an agreement entered into by the Secretary of War and the Secretary of the Navy. The Secretary of the Navy approved the final form of the agreement on August 2, 1916, and the secretary of War on August 19, 1916. In order to simplify the name of the board it was changed to "The Joint Merchant Vessel Board." This change in name was approved by the Secretary of War April 30, 1917, and by the Secretary of the Navy May 5, 1917. The board consists of one Army officer and three Navy officers as members, with one of the latter acting as recorder.

  2. The board inspects and classifies merchant vessels with a view to their possible use in war. The board is assisted by local sections consisting of Army and Navy officers who conduct the actual inspection.

Section VI
Local Joint Planning Committee

  1. The authority for agencies for cooperation between Army and Navy activities within departments, armies, and corps areas of the Army and naval districts is War Department G.O. No. 19, 1923, and Navy Department G.O. No. 103, 1923. Commanding generals of departments, armies, and/or corps areas, and commandants of naval districts whose headquarters are in the same vicinity, appoint from among their immediately available officer personnel not more than three officers from each service to constitute a permanent local joint planning committee. In cases where superior headquarters for a given department, army, corps area, or district are widely separated, more than one planning committee may be organized. In addition, the commanding general and the commandant of the naval district

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    designate one or more officers on their staff through whom close contact with other services in maintained.

  1. The local joint planning committee takes cognizance of questions referred to it by proper authority and originates questions on such local subjects as, in its judgment, are necessary. Its reports and recommendations are made jointly to the commanding general and commandant of the naval district concerned.

Section VII
Joint Economy Board

  1. The authority for the Joint Economy Board is contained in War Department G.O. No. 11, 1933, and Navy Department G.O. No. 237, 1933. The board is charged with the continuing responsibility of investigating and reporting to The Joint Board on economies which can be effected, from time to time, without loss of efficiency, by the elimination of overlap or the simplification of functioning in those activities of the War and Navy Departments concerned with joint operations of the two services or which have approximately parallel functions.

  2. The membership of the Joint Economy Board will comprise five or more officers from each service and will include the following:

    1. For the Army.--The Chief of Budget and Legislative Planning Branch and four other officers of the Budget Advisory Committee or the War Department.

    2. For the Navy.--The Assistant Budget Officer, Navy Department; the Director, Material Division, Office of Chief of Naval Operations; the Assistant Director, Navy Yard Division, Office of Assistant Secretary of the Navy; and an officer from the Bureau of Supplies and Accounts (not below the rank of commander).

  3. The Secretary of The Joint Board will be the Secretary of the Joint Economy Board.

  4. Reports and recommendations of the Joint Economy Board will be presented to The Joint Board for action.

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  1. Each chief of arm, service, or bureau will designate a liaison officer whose name shall be furnished to the Joint Economy Board and who will maintain contact between his office and the corresponding activity of the other service and with the board. Liaison officers will bring to the attention of the Joint Economy Board any matter which their respective chiefs shall deem to come within the purview of the Board. Each liaison officer will furnish such aid to the Board in securing information and data from his particular arm, service, or bureau as the board shall request. The Joint Economy Board will have authority over the liaison officers insofar as their duties pertain to the work of the Board.

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