Title 10, Armed ForcesRelease 119-102
§747 Command: When Different Commands of Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Space Force, and Coast Guard Join
Title 10 › Subtitle A — General Military Law › PART II — PERSONNEL › CHAPTER 43 — RANK AND COMMAND › § 747
Summary
When units from the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Space Force, and Coast Guard work together, the highest-ranking officer from those services who is there and otherwise able to command leads all the forces, unless the President picks someone else.
Full Legal Text
Title 10, §747
Armed Forces, Source: USLM XML via OLRC
When different commands of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Space Force, and Coast Guard join or serve together, the officer highest in rank in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Space Force, or Coast Guard on duty there, who is otherwise eligible to command, commands all those forces unless otherwise directed by the President.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Editorial Notes
Amendments
2021—Pub. L. 116–283, § 924(b)(2)(B), amended section catchline generally. Prior to amendment, section catchline read as follows: “Command: when different commands of Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard join”. Pub. L. 116–283, § 924(b)(2)(A)(iv), substituted “Marine Corps, Space Force,” for “Marine Corps,” in two places.
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Transfer of Functions
For transfer of authorities, functions, personnel, and assets of the Coast Guard, including the authorities and functions of the Secretary of Transportation relating thereto, to the Department of Homeland Security, and for treatment of related references, see section 468(b), 551(d), 552(d), and 557 of Title 6, Domestic Security, and the Department of Homeland Security Reorganization Plan of November 25, 2002, as modified, set out as a note under section 542 of Title 6.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
10 U.S.C. § 747
Title 10, Armed Forces
Last Updated
Aug 21, 2026
Release point: 119-102