What are the two key elements of command?

• A. Authority and Responsibility
• B. Authority and Control
• C. Responsibility and Discipline
• D. Command and Control

Answer: (A)

Authority and responsibility are the two elements that define command. Authority is the legitimate power to issue orders, make decisions, and direct resources and actions. Responsibility is the obligation to accomplish the mission, care for the welfare of personnel, and be answerable for the outcomes of those decisions and actions. Together they enable effective leadership: you need the power to act and the duty to account for results. Without authority you can’t direct others; without responsibility you can’t be held to account or ensure mission success. The other terms describe aspects of how operations are run (control, discipline) or a broader system (command and control), but they aren’t the foundational pair that makes up what command itself is.