text: Command and Support Relationships
  administrative and logistic support; the commander of the parent unit continues to exercise these authorities
  unless otherwise specified in the establishing directive.
  SUPPORT
  A-10. Support is the action of a force that aids, protects, complements, or sustains another force in accordance
  with a directive requiring such action (JP 1). Support is a command authority in joint doctrine. A supported
  and supporting relationship is established by a superior commander between subordinate commanders when
  one organization should aid, protect, complement, or sustain another force. Designating supporting
  relationships is important. It conveys priorities to commanders and staffs planning or executing joint
  operations. Designating a support relationship does not provide authority to organize and employ commands
  and forces, nor does it include authoritative direction for administrative and logistic support.
  A-11. The Secretary of Defense assigns support relationships between combatant commanders for the
  planning and execution of joint operations. JFCs establish support relationships among functional and Service
  component commanders, such as for the coordination of operations in depth involving the JFLCC and the
  joint force air component commander. Within a joint force, the JFC may designate more than one supported
  commander simultaneously, and components may simultaneously receive and provide support for different
  missions, functions, or operations. Joint doctrine divides support into the categories listed in table A-2.
  Table A-2. Joint support categories
  Category Definition
  General support Support given to the supported force as a whole and not to any particular subdivision
  thereof (JP 3-09.3).
  Mutual support That support which units render each other against an enemy, because of their
  assigned tasks, their position relative to each other and to the enemy, and their
  inherent capabilities (JP 3-31).
  Direct support A mission requiring a force to support another specific force and authorizing it to
  answer directly to the supported force’s request for assistance (JP 3-09.3).
  Close support That action of the supporting force against targets or objectives that are sufficiently
  near the supported force as to require detailed integration or coordination of the
  supporting action (JP 3-31).
  Note. A joint support relationship is not used when an Army commander task-organizes Army
  forces in a supporting role. When task-organized to support another Army force, Army forces use
  one of four Army support relationships as described in paragraphs A-24 through A-29.
  JOINT ASSIGNMENT AND ATTACHMENT
  A-12. All forces under the jurisdiction of the secretaries of the military departments (except those forces
  necessary to carry out the functions of the military departments as noted in 10 USC 162) are assigned to
  combatant commanders or Commander, United States Element, North American Aerospace Defense
  Command, or designated as Service retained in the Global Force Management Implementation Guidance. A
  force assigned or attached to a combatant commander, or Service retained by a Service Secretary, may be
  transferred from that command to another combatant command only when directed by the Secretary of
  Defense and under procedures prescribed by the Secretary of Defense and approved by the President. The
  Secretary of Defense specifies the command relationship the gaining commander will exercise (and the losing
  commander will relinquish).
  Note. Assigned and attached are not command relationships in joint doctrine. They are terms used
  to describe the relative permanency for the transfer of forces among commands. When forces are
  assigned or attached, the command relationship (COCOM, OPCON, or TACON) is specified.