Which of the following is NOT a basis of mission command?

• A. Centralized Command
• B. Distributed Control
• C. Decentralized Execution
• D. Unified Command

Answer: (D)

Mission command is about how authority and decision-making are distributed so subordinates can act with initiative within the commander’s intent. The bases you see here describe patterns of control that enable that empowerment: decisions and direction may be centralized at higher levels to set the overall plan, yet execution is distributed across elements; or execution is decentralized so units farther from the main decision can act with their own initiative within the intent. Unified Command, on the other hand, is a specific joint or combined command arrangement used to manage operations that involve multiple forces or agencies under a single commander. It describes who commands multiple forces, not how authority is distributed or how initiative is exercised within the commander's intent. Because mission command focuses on how control and initiative are exercised at and below the level of the commander, Unified Command is not a basis of mission command.