Goldwater-Nichols Act

The Goldwater-Nichols Act, passed in 1986, is a U.S. law that reorganized the Department of Defense to improve military coordination and effectiveness. It clarified that the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff would serve as the primary military advisor to the President and the Secretary of Defense, rather than having independent operational authority. The act encouraged greater cooperation among different military branches (Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps) and delegated more decision-making power to unified combatant commands. Overall, it aimed to streamline military command, enhance unity of effort, and improve the U.S. military’s ability to conduct coordinated operations.