This web site is
best
viewed in full screen
(1024x768) and
medium font with
Internet Explorer 5 or
higher and Netscape
6 or higher.
The Charter of Strategic Advisory Group
U.S. Strategic Command
The Strategic Advisory Group's (SAG) responsibilities are
spelled out in a Charter which is normally updated every two years to reflect
new tasking and changes in STRATCOM's mission. As a result, the charter has
changed considerably over the years. In 1996, for example, the charter (download
copy from right-hand bar) included the following areas of responsibility:
The impact of policy changes on the ability of the
Nation's strategic warplans to satisfy national security objectives.
The impact of arms control positions on the ability of
the U.S. strategic force structure and modernization program to support the
strategic warplans.
The use of new procedures and techniques to reduce the
vulnerability of U.S. nuclear systems.
The exploitation of nuclear weapon effects to optimize
the employment of U.S. offensive systems.
The use of new procedures and techniques to improve
penetration of enemy defenses.
The development of new tools to facilitate adaptive
planning in response to force structure, threat, or guidance changes.
The 1998 charter did not change that list but the charter from
February 2000 (download copy from right-hand bar) added three new areas and
consolidated two others into one:
The impact of policy changes on the ability of the
Nation's strategic war plans to satisfy national security objectives.
The impact of arms control positions on the ability of
the U.S. strategic force structure and modernization program to support the
strategic war plans.
The safety and reliability of the Nation's nuclear
stockpile. (new)
The use of new procedures and techniques to reduce the
vulnerability of U.S. weapon systems and improve penetration of enemy
defenses. (consolidated)
The exploitation of nuclear weapon effects to optimize
the employment of U.S. offensive weapons.
The incorporation and application of new systems or
capabilities in the strategic war plans to enhance the attainment of
national security objectives. (new)
The development of new tools to facilitate deliberate and
adaptive planning in response to force structure, threat, or guidance
changes.
The employment of intelligence capabilities, activities
and functions to satisfy strategic war plan requirements. (new)
The absorption of Space Command (SPACECOM) into STRATCOM with
the new Command Plan in 2002 and the assignment of missile defense and
information operations to STRATCOM resulted in an expansion of SAG's
responsibilities in the new charter from February 2004 (download copy from
right-hand bar). Moreover, with the Bush administration's abolition of START II
and adoption of the simplistic Strategic Offensive Reduction Treaty (Moscow
Treaty), the terminology "arms control" was removed from the charter and
replaced with "strategic nuclear reductions:"
The impact of policy changes on the ability of the
Command's plans to satisfy national security objectives.
The impact of strategic nuclear reductions on the ability
of the U.S. strategic force structure and modernization program to support
the strategic war plans. (modified)
The Nation's nuclear stockpile to include a report on
safety, security, and reliability.
The use of new procedures and techniques to reduce the
vulnerability of U.S. weapon systems and improve penetration of enemy
defenses.
The exploitation of nuclear weapon effects to optimize
the employment of U.S. offensive weapons.
The incorporation and application of new systems or
capabilities to enhance the attainment of national security objectives.
The development of new tools to facilitate deliberate and
adaptive planning in response to force structure, threat, or guidance
changes.
The employment of space operations. (new)
The integration of missile defense. (new)
Information operations. (new)
The employment of intelligence capabilities, activities
and functions.
