Principle of Unified Command
Before modern times, the famous warrior Sun Tzu developed the concept of the principles of war. Of these, unity of command is, perhaps, the most important. Every modern military of significance accepts this. Yet, except in Schwerdt, militaries remain organised along environmental lines—army, navy, and air forces.
Schwerdt's military is structured to maximise the principle of unity of command. The military force is, thus, organised along functional or geographic lines. Most militaries use combined arms, multi-service task forces, called joint operations. In Schwerdt, the Military Services are structured to operate in this manner as a normal course. In this manner, cooperation among land, air, and sea forces is institutionalised and permanent.
Command and Control
The Reichskanzlerundmarschall (Chancellor and Marshal of the Realm) is the commander-in-chief of the Military Services. Subordinate to him is the Oberkommando der Wehrdiensten (High Command of the Military Services, or OKW), headed by the Chief of Military Operations.
The next echelon of command is the four functional High Commands:
- Heimwehr (Home Defense, or OKH)
- Auslandswaffe (Overseas, or OKA)
- Luftwaffe (Aerospace, or OKL)
- Militarstütze (Military Support, or OKM)
A Commander-in-Chief heads each High Command.
There is a direct link in the chain-of-command from the Reichskanzlerundmarschall through the Chief of Military Operations and Commander-in-Chief of a functional High Command to the field commander. State-of-the-art command, control, communications, computer, and intelligence (C4I) systems make it possible for real-time situational awareness and orders to be transmitted across the entire spectrum of command.
Organisational Structure
The Chief of the Military Operations chairs the Reichswehrrat (Military Council of the Realm). Other members of the Council are representatives of the General Staff and the functional High Commands. The Reichswehrrat serves both the Chancery and the High Command of the Military Services (OKW).
General Staff
A key element in OKW is the General Staff. Assignment on the General Staff is very prestigious as it recommends strategic and operational plans and objectives for OKW to implement. The General Staff has charge of military planning and provides oversight to implementation of policies and procedures directed by OKW.
Staff Structure
All staffs within the Military Services are organised into three branches.
I—Military Operations
a—Operations and Plans
b—Quartermaster
c—Battlespace
II—Service Support
a—Personnel
b—Materiél
c—Facilities
III—Ancillary Support
a—Technical Services
b—Civil Affairs and Attachés
c—Historical Services
