§ 163. Role of Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff
(a)
Communications Through Chairman of JCS; Assignment of Duties.—
Subject to the limitations in section
152
(c) of this title, the President may—
(b)
Oversight by Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff.—
(1)
The Secretary of Defense may assign to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff responsibility for overseeing the activities of the combatant commands. Such assignment by the Secretary to the Chairman does not confer any command authority on the Chairman and does not alter the responsibility of the commanders of the combatant commands prescribed in section
164
(b)(2) of this title.
(2)
Subject to the authority, direction, and control of the Secretary of Defense, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff serves as the spokesman for the commanders of the combatant commands, especially on the operational requirements of their commands. In performing such function, the Chairman shall—
(A)
confer with and obtain information from the commanders of the combatant commands with respect to the requirements of their commands;