Previous page | Contents | Next page
2  |  Decision-making within government
and the military”. He had “excellent relationship[s]” with each of the Chiefs of Defence
Staff with whom he worked, and “very regular … informal and formal meetings”. In
the course of “campaigns like Iraq”, such meetings were “on a daily or more than
daily basis”.72
ROLES WITHIN THE MOD
108.  The principal task of the Defence Intelligence Staff (DIS)73 was the provision of
intelligence to inform MOD policy formulation and procurement decisions, and to support
military operations.74
109.  DIS worked closely with other UK intelligence organisations and with overseas
allies.75 Its sources included human, signals and imagery intelligence, as well as open
sources. The DIS produced a number of reports on the state of Iraq.
110.  The Defence Crisis Management Organisation (DCMO) is tasked to provide
“politically aware military advice to inform the strategic commitment of UK forces to
overseas joint and combined operations”.76
111.  The DCMO comprises the Permanent Joint Headquarters (PJHQ) and elements
of the MOD Central Staff, single service frontline commands and other relevant
departments.77
112.  As head of PJHQ, the Chief of Joint Operations (CJO) is responsible for the
planning and execution of joint (tri-Service) operations.78
113.  CJO reports directly to the CDS for contingency planning and advice on the
conduct and resourcing of current operations.79 At the operational level, CJO is
responsible for the deployment, direction, sustainment and recovery of deployed forces
in order to deliver the military strategy set out in the CDS’s Directive.
114.  The CJO is the Commander Joint Operations for current operations for which he
is responsible.
115.  The MOD Central Staff advises both the PUS and CDS. Between 2001 and 2009 it
was led jointly by the VCDS and the Second Permanent Secretary (2nd PUS), supported
by a joint staff.
72  Public hearing, 19 January 2010, page 3.
73  Now known as Defence Intelligence (DI).
74  Letter MOD to Iraq Inquiry, 29 April 2010, ‘MOD Evidence – Submission on Defence Intelligence
Staff (DIS)’.
75  www.gov.uk, ‘Defence Intelligence’.
76  Ministry of Defence, How Defence Works – Defence Framework, December 2010, page 14.
77  House of Commons, Official Report, 16 November 2004, column 1290W.
78  Ministry of Defence, Annual Report and Accounts 2002-03.
79  Ministry of Defence, The New Operating Model: How Defence Works, April 2013.
285
Previous page | Contents | Next page