Military Dictionary – Letter J

Military Dictionary Letter JHere are the DOD Dictionary terms beginning with the letter J and organized alphabetically. Browse terms from the official DOD Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms that start with J and view definitions. Read on for military definitions that begin with J such as joint intelligence, joint task force, judge advocate, jumpmaster and more.


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LETTER J – TERMS AND DEFINITIONS

joint — Connotes activities, operations, organizations, etc., in which elements of two or more Military Departments participate.

joint air attack team — A combination of attack and/or scout rotary-wing aircraft and fixed- wing close air support aircraft operating together to locate and attack high priority targets and other targets of opportunity. Also called JAAT. See also close air support.

joint air component coordination element — A general term for the liaison element that serves as the direct representative of the joint force air component commander for joint air operations. Also called JACCE.

joint air-ground integration center — A staff organization designed to enhance joint collaborative efforts to deconflict joint air-ground assets in the division’s airspace. Also called JAGIC.

joint air operations — Air operations performed with air capabilities/forces made available by components in support of the joint force commander’s operation or campaign objectives, or in support of other components of the joint force.

joint air operations center — A jointly staffed facility established for planning, directing, and executing joint air operations in support of the joint force commander’s operation or campaign objectives. Also called JAOC. See also joint air operations.

joint air operations plan — A plan for a connected series of joint air operations to achieve the joint force commander’s objectives within a given time and joint operational area. Also called JAOP. See also joint air operations.

joint base — In base defense operations, a locality from which operations of two or more of the Military Departments are projected or supported and which is manned by significant elements of two or more Military Departments or in which significant elements of two or more Military Departments are located. See also base.

joint captured materiel exploitation center — An element responsible for deriving intelligence information from captured enemy materiel. It is normally subordinate to the intelligence directorate of a joint staff. Also called JCMEC.

joint civil-military operations task force — A joint task force composed of civil-military operations units from more than one Service. Also called JCMOTF. See also civil- military operations; joint task force.

joint combined exchange training — A program conducted overseas to fulfill United States forces training requirements and at the same time exchange the sharing of skills between United States forces and host nation counterparts. Also called JCET.

joint communications network — The aggregation of the joint multichannel trunking and switching system and the joint command and control communications system(s) in a theater. Also called JCN.

joint contracting support board — A board established to coordinate all contracting support and to determine specific contracting mechanisms to obtain commercially procured common logistic supplies and services within the operational area. Also called JCSB. See also combatant commander logistic procurement support board; joint requirements review board.

joint counterintelligence unit — An organization composed of Service and Department of Defense agency counterintelligence personnel that is formed under the authority of the Secretary of Defense, assigned to a combatant commander, and focused on strategic and operational counterintelligence missions. Also called JCIU.

joint data network operations officer — The joint task force operations directorate officer responsible to the commander for integrating data from supporting components into a common database used to generate the common tactical picture. Also called JDNO.

joint deployable intelligence support system — A transportable workstation and communications suite that electronically extends a joint intelligence center to a joint task force or other tactical user. Also called JDISS.

joint deployment and distribution enterprise — The complex of equipment, procedures, doctrine, leaders, technical connectivity, information, shared knowledge, organizations, facilities, training, and materiel necessary to conduct joint distribution operations. Also called JDDE.

joint deployment and distribution operations center — A combatant command movement control organization designed to synchronize and optimize national and theater multimodal resources for deployment, distribution, and sustainment, Also called JDDOC.

joint desired point of impact — A unique, alpha-numeric-coded precise aimpoint associated with a target to achieve an explicit weaponeering objective and identified by a three-dimensional (latitude, longitude, elevation) mensurated coordinate. Also called JDPI. See also aimpoint; desired point of impact.

joint distribution — The operational process of synchronizing all elements of the joint logistic system using the Joint Deployment and Distribution Enterprise for end-to-end movement of forces and materiel from point of origin to the designated point of need.

joint doctrine — Fundamental principles that guide the employment of United States military forces in coordinated action toward a common objective and may include terms, tactics, techniques, and procedures. See also Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff instruction; Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff manual; joint publication; joint test publication; multinational doctrine. 

joint doctrine development community — The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Services, the combatant commands, the Joint Staff, the combat support agencies, the doctrine development agencies of the Services and the joint community, the National Defense University, the United States Element, North American Aerospace Defense Command, the National Guard Bureau, and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff controlled activities. Also called JDDC.

Joint Doctrine Development System — The system of lead agents, Joint Staff doctrine sponsors, primary review authorities, coordinating review authorities, technical review authorities, assessment agents, evaluation agents, Joint Doctrine Planning Conferences, procedures, and the hierarchical framework designed to initiate, develop, approve, and maintain joint publications.

Joint Doctrine Planning Conference — A forum convened by the Joint Staff Directorate for Joint Force Development that meets semiannually to address and vote on project proposals; discuss key joint doctrinal and operational issues; discuss potential changes to the joint doctrine development process; keep up to date on the status of the joint publication projects and emerging publications; and keep abreast of other initiatives of interest to the members. Also called JDPC.

joint document exploitation center — An element, normally subordinate to the intelligence directorate of a joint staff, responsible for deriving intelligence information from captured documents including all forms of electronic data and other forms of stored textual  and  graphic   information.   Also  called  JDEC.   See   also   intelligence.

joint electromagnetic spectrum management operations — Those interrelated functions of frequency management, host nation coordination, and joint spectrum interference resolution that together enable the planning, management, and execution of operations within the electromagnetic operational environment during all phases of military operations. Also called JEMSMO.

joint electromagnetic spectrum operations — Those activities consisting of electronic warfare and joint electromagnetic spectrum management operations used to exploit, attack, protect, and manage the electromagnetic operational environment to achieve the commander’s objectives. Also called JEMSO.

joint engagement zone — In air and missile defense, that airspace of defined dimensions within which multiple air and missile defense systems (surface-to-air missiles and aircraft) are simultaneously employed to engage air and missile threats. Also called JEZ.

joint facilities utilization board — A joint board that evaluates and reconciles component requests for real estate, use of existing facilities, inter-Service support, and construction to ensure compliance with Joint Civil-Military Engineering Board priorities. Also called JFUB.

joint field office — A temporary multiagency coordination center established at the incident site to provide a central location for coordination of federal, state, local, tribal, nongovernmental, and private-sector organizations with primary responsibility for incident oversight, direction, or assistance to effectively coordinate protection, prevention, preparedness, response, and recovery actions. Also called JFO.

joint fires — Fires delivered during the employment of forces from two or more components in coordinated action to produce desired effects in support of a common objective. See also fires.

joint fires element — An optional staff element that provides recommendations to the operations directorate to accomplish fires planning and synchronization. Also called JFE. See also fire support; joint fires. 

joint fires observer — A trained Service member who can request, adjust, and control surface-to-surface fires, provide targeting information in support of Type 2 and 3 close air support terminal attack control, and perform autonomous terminal guidance operations. Also called JFO.

joint fire support — Joint fires that assist air, land, maritime, and special operations forces to move, maneuver, and control territory, populations, airspace, and key waters. See also fire support; joint fires.

joint force — A force composed of elements, assigned or attached, of two or more Military Departments operating under a single joint force commander. See also joint force commander.

joint force air component commander — The commander within a unified command, subordinate unified command, or joint task force responsible to the establishing commander for recommending the proper employment of assigned, attached, and/or made available for tasking air forces; planning and coordinating air operations; or accomplishing such operational missions as may be assigned. Also called JFACC. See also joint force commander.

joint force chaplain — The military chaplain designated by the joint force commander to serve as the senior chaplain for the joint force. Also called the JFCH.

joint force commander — A general term applied to a combatant commander, subunified commander, or joint task force commander authorized to exercise combatant command (command authority) or operational control over a joint force. Also called JFC. See also joint force.

joint force land component commander — The commander within a unified command, subordinate unified command, or joint task force responsible to the establishing commander for recommending the proper employment of assigned, attached, and/or made available for tasking land forces; planning and coordinating land operations; or accomplishing such operational missions as may be assigned. Also called JFLCC. See also joint force commander.

joint force maritime component commander — The commander within a unified command, subordinate unified command, or joint task force responsible to the establishing commander for recommending the proper employment of assigned, attached, and/or made available for tasking maritime forces and assets; planning and coordinating maritime operations; or accomplishing such operational missions as may be assigned. Also called JFMCC. See also joint force commander.

joint force special operations component commander — The commander within a unified command, subordinate unified command, or joint task force responsible to the establishing commander for recommending the proper employment of assigned, attached, and/or made available for tasking special operations forces and assets; planning and coordinating special operations; or accomplishing such operational missions as may be assigned. Also called JFSOCC. See also joint force commander.

joint force surgeon — A Department of Defense medical department officer appointed by the joint force commander to serve as the joint force special staff officer to establish, monitor, or evaluate joint force health services support. Also called JFS. See also health service support; joint force.

joint functions — Related capabilities and activities placed into seven basic groups of command and control, information, intelligence, fires, movement and maneuver, protection, and sustainment to help joint force commanders synchronize, integrate, and direct joint operations.

joint individual augmentee — An unfunded, temporary duty position (or member filling an unfunded, temporary duty position) identified on a joint manning document by a supported combatant commander to augment headquarters operations during contingencies. Also called JIA.

joint integrated prioritized target list — A prioritized list of targets approved by the joint force commander. Also called JIPTL. See also target.

joint intelligence — Intelligence produced by elements of more than one Service of the same nation.

joint intelligence architecture — A dynamic, flexible structure that consists of the Defense Joint Intelligence Operations Center, combatant command joint intelligence operations centers, and subordinate joint task force intelligence operations centers or joint intelligence support elements to provide national, theater, and tactical commanders with the full range of intelligence required for planning and conducting operations. See also intelligence.

joint intelligence operations center — An interdependent, operational intelligence organization at the Department of Defense, combatant command, or joint task force (if established) level, that is integrated with national intelligence centers, and capable of accessing all sources of intelligence impacting military operations planning, execution, and assessment. Also called JIOC.

joint intelligence preparation of the operational environment — The analytical process used by joint intelligence organizations to produce intelligence estimates and other intelligence products in support of the joint force commander’s decision-making process. Also called JIPOE.

joint intelligence support element — A subordinate joint force element whose focus is on intelligence support for joint operations, providing the joint force commander, joint staff, and components with the complete enemy and adversary situation. Also called JISE. See also intelligence; joint force; joint operations.

joint interagency coordination group — A staff group that establishes regular, timely, and collaborative working relationships between civilian and military operational planners. Also called JIACG.

joint interface control officer — The senior interface control officer for multi-tactical data link networks in the joint force who is responsible for development and validation of the architecture, joint interoperability and management of the multi-tactical data link networks, and overseeing operations of a joint interface control cell. Also called JICO.

joint interrogation and debriefing center — Physical location for the exploitation of intelligence information from detainees and other sources. Also called JIDC. See also intelligence.

joint interrogation operations — 1. Activities conducted by a joint or interagency organization to extract information for intelligence purposes from detainees. 2. Activities conducted in support of law enforcement efforts to adjudicate enemy combatants who are believed to have committed crimes against United States persons or property. Also called JIO.

joint land operations — Land operations performed across the range of military operations with land forces made available by Service components in support of the joint force commander’s operation or campaign objectives, or in support of other components of the joint force.

joint land operations plan — A plan for a connected series of joint land operations to achieve the joint force commander’s objectives within a given time and operational area.

joint logistics — The coordinated use, synchronization, and sharing of two or more Military Departments’ logistics resources to support the joint force. See also logistics.

joint logistics enterprise — A multitiered matrix of key global logistics providers cooperating and structured to achieve a unity of effort without jeopardizing the integrity of   their   own    organizational    missions    and    goals.    Also    called    JLEnt.

joint logistics operations center — The current operations division within the logistics directorate of a joint staff, which monitors crises, exercises, and interagency actions and works acquisition and cross-servicing agreements as well as international logistics. Also called JLOC. See also logistics.

joint logistics over-the-shore commander — The commander selected by the joint force commander and tasked to organize the efforts of all elements participating in accomplishing the joint logistics over-the-shore mission. See also joint logistics over- the-shore operations.

joint logistics over-the-shore operations — Operations in which Navy and Army logistics over-the-shore forces conduct logistics over-the-shore operations together under a joint force commander. Also called JLOTS operations. See also joint logistics; logistics over-the-shore operations.

joint manpower program — The policy, processes, and systems used in determination and prioritization within and among joint Service manpower requirements. Also called JMP.

joint meteorological and oceanographic officer — Officer designated to provide direct meteorological and oceanographic support to a joint force commander. Also called JMO.

joint mission-essential task — A mission task selected by a joint force commander deemed essential to mission accomplishment and defined using the common language of the Universal Joint Task List in terms of task, condition, and standard. Also called JMET. See also condition, universal joint task list.

joint mortuary affairs office — Plans and executes all mortuary affairs programs within a theater. Also called JMAO. See also mortuary affairs; personal effects.

joint network operations control center — An element of the communications system directorate of a joint staff established as the single control agency for the management and direction of the joint force communications systems. Also called JNCC.

joint operations — Military actions conducted by joint forces and those Service forces employed in specified command relationships with each other, which of themselves, do not establish joint forces.

joint operations area — An area of land, sea, and airspace, defined by a geographic combatant commander or subordinate unified commander, in which a joint force commander (normally a joint task force commander) conducts military operations to accomplish a specific mission. Also called JOA. See also area of responsibility; joint special operations area.

joint operations area forecast — The official baseline meteorological and oceanographic forecast for operational planning and mission execution within the joint operations area. Also called JOAF.

joint operations center — A jointly manned facility of a joint force commander’s headquarters established to plan, monitor, and guide the execution of the commander’s decisions. Also called JOC.

joint patient movement requirements center — A joint activity established to coordinate the joint patient movement requirements function for a joint force operating within an operational area. Also called JPMRC. See also health service support; joint force surgeon; joint operations area; medical treatment facility.

joint personnel accountability reconciliation and reporting — A data repository developed and implemented by the Defense Manpower Data Center that consumes and reconciles data from existing  Service  deployment  systems.  Also called  JPARR.

joint personnel processing center — A center established in an operational area by the appropriate joint force commander with the responsibility for the in-processing and out- processing of personnel upon their arrival in and departure from the theater. Also called JPPC.

joint personnel recovery center — The primary joint force organization responsible for planning and coordinating personnel recovery for military operations within the assigned operational area. Also called JPRC. See also combat search and rescue; search and rescue.

joint personnel training and tracking activity — The continental United States center established to facilitate the reception, accountability, processing, training, and onward movement of individual augmentees preparing for overseas movement to support a joint military operation. Also called JPTTA.

joint planning — Planning activities associated with military operations by combatant commanders and their subordinate commanders. See also joint planning  process.

joint planning and execution community — Those headquarters, commands, and agencies involved in the training, preparation, mobilization, deployment, employment, support, sustainment, redeployment, and demobilization of military forces assigned or committed to a joint operation. Also called JPEC.

joint planning group — A planning organization consisting of designated representatives of the joint force headquarters principal and special staff sections, joint force components (Service and/or functional), and other supporting organizations or agencies as deemed necessary by the joint force commander. Also called JPG. See also joint planning.

joint planning process — An orderly, analytical process that consists of a logical set of steps to analyze a mission, select the best course of action, and produce a campaign or joint operation plan or order. Also called JPP. See also joint planning.

joint proponent — A Service, combatant command, or Joint Staff directorate assigned coordinating authority to lead the collaborative development and integration of joint capability with specific responsibilities designated by the Secretary of Defense.

Joint Public Affairs Support Element — A deployable unit assigned to assist a joint force commander in developing and training public affairs forces in joint, interagency, and multinational environments. Also called JPASE.

joint publication — A compilation of agreed to fundamental principles, considerations, and guidance on a particular topic, approved by the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff that guides the employment of a joint force toward a common objective. Also called JP. See also Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff instruction; Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff manual; joint doctrine; joint test publication.

joint reception coordination center — An organization that, when established, ensures that Department of Defense personnel and noncombatant evacuees receive adequate assistance and support for an orderly and expedient debarkation, movement to final destination in the United States, and appropriate follow-on assistance at the final destination. Also called JRCC.

joint reception, staging, onward movement, and integration — A phase of joint force projection occurring in the operational area during which arriving personnel, equipment, and materiel transition into forces capable of meeting operational requirements. Also called JRSOI. See also integration; joint force; reception; staging.

joint requirements review board — The joint task force or subunified commander’s established board to review, validate, approve, and prioritize selected Service component contract support requests. Also called JRRB. See also combatant commander logistic procurement support board; joint contracting support board.

joint restricted frequency list — A time and geographically oriented listing of TABOO, PROTECTED, and GUARDED functions, nets, and frequencies and limited to the minimum number of frequencies necessary for friendly forces to accomplish objectives. Also called JRFL. See also electronic warfare; guarded frequencies; protected frequencies; TABOO frequencies.

joint security area — A specific surface area, designated by the joint force commander to facilitate protection of joint bases and their connecting lines of communications that support joint operations. Also called JSA.

joint security coordination center — A joint operations center tailored to assist the joint security coordinator in meeting the security requirements in the joint operational area. Also called JSCC.

joint security coordinator — The officer with responsibility for coordinating the overall security of the operational area in accordance with joint force commander directives and priorities. Also called JSC.

joint servicing — That function performed by a jointly staffed and financed activity in support of two or more Services.

joint special operations air component commander — The commander within a joint force special operations command responsible for planning and executing joint special operations air activities. Also called JSOACC.

joint special operations area — An area of land, sea, and airspace assigned by a joint force commander to the commander of a joint special operations force to conduct special operations activities. Also called JSOA.

joint special operations task force — A joint task force composed of special operations units from more than one Service, formed to carry out a specific special operation or prosecute special operations in support of a theater campaign or other operations. Also called JSOTF.

joint staff — 1. The staff of a commander of a unified or specified command, subordinate unified command, joint task force, or subordinate functional component (when a functional component command will employ forces from more than one Military Department), that includes members from the several Services comprising the force. 2. (capitalized as Joint Staff) The staff under the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff that assists the Chairman and the other members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in carrying out their responsibilities. Also called JS.

Joint Staff doctrine sponsor — A Joint Staff directorate assigned to coordinate a joint doctrine project with the Joint Staff. Also called JSDS. See also joint doctrine.

Joint Strategic Planning System — One of the primary means by which the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, in consultation with the other members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the combatant commanders, carries out the statutory responsibilities to assist the President and Secretary of Defense in providing strategic direction to the Armed Forces. Also called JSPS.

joint table of distribution — A manpower document that identifies the positions and enumerates the spaces that have been approved for each organizational element of a joint activity for a specific fiscal year (authorization year), and those accepted for the four subsequent fiscal years (program years). Also called JTD. See also joint manpower program.

joint targeting coordination board — A group formed by the joint force commander to accomplish broad targeting oversight functions that may include, but are not limited to, coordinating targeting information; providing targeting guidance, synchronization, and priorities; and approving the joint integrated prioritized target list. Also called JTCB. See also joint integrated prioritized target list; targeting.

joint target list — A consolidated list of validated targets of military significance without restrictions within a joint force commander’s operational area. Also called JTL. See also joint; target.

joint task force — A joint force that is constituted and so designated by the Secretary of Defense, a combatant commander, a subunified commander, or an existing joint task force commander. Also called JTF.

Joint Task Force-Civil Support — A standing joint task force established to plan and integrate Department of Defense support to the designated lead federal agency for domestic chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and high-yield explosives consequence management operations. Also called JTF-CS.

joint terminal attack controller — A qualified (certified) Service member who, from a forward position, directs the action of combat aircraft engaged in close air support and other offensive air operations. Also called JTAC. See also terminal attack control.

joint test publication — A proposed publication produced for field-testing an emergent concept that has been validated through the Joint Experimentation Program or a similar joint process. Also called JTP. See also Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff instruction; joint doctrine; joint publication.

Joint Transportation Board The body that prioritizes common-user transportation resources assigned or available to the Department of Defense on behalf of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Also called JTB. See also common-user transportation.

joint urban operations — Joint operations planned and conducted on, or against objectives within a topographical complex and its adjacent natural terrain, where man-made construction or the density of population are the dominant features. Also called JUOs. See also joint operations.

Joint Worldwide Intelligence Communications System — The sensitive compartmented information portion of the Defense Information Systems Network, which incorporates advanced networking technologies that permit point-to-point or multipoint information exchange involving voice, text, graphics, data, and video teleconferencing. Also called JWICS.

judge advocate —An officer of the Judge Advocate General’s Corps of the Army, Air Force, or Navy, or officers of the Marine Corps or Coast Guard designated as a judge advocate. Also called JA.

jumpmaster — The assigned airborne-qualified individual who controls paratroops from the time they enter the aircraft until they exit.


Military Dictionary A to Z

A B C D
E F G H
I J K L
M N O P
Q R S T
U V W XYZ

See also Official DOD Shortened Word Forms.

Source: Official DOD Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms.