Defense Support of Civil Authorities (DSCA) Command and Control (C2)

Published Oct. 29, 2024

TOPIC SPONSOR: NORTHCOM

The use of a Dual Status Commander (DSC) to ensure unity of effort when Title 10 (T10) Forces are requested in DSCA response is prescribed at the "usual and customary" C2 arrangement in the 2012 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). Recent DSCA in response to COVID-19 wave one involved DSC requests from 39 states with nine of those establishing a DSC-led Joint Task Force (JTF). In anticipation of a broad T10 response, a robust C2 architecture was established including the standing up of multiple regional T10 Task Forces underneath the Joint Forces Land Component Command. After Action comments from individual state JTFs and congressional questions regarding the DSC construct highlight the potential improvements in DSCA C2 structure.

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