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Chapter 12: The Military Command Structure The Military Force Structure The integrated military structure includes forces made available to NATO by member nations participating in the structure, in accordance with prescribed conditions. These were formerly divided into Immediate and Rapid Reaction Forces, Main Defence Forces and Augmentation Forces. Changes are being introduced to bring the structure into line with NATO's current needs. Subject to political approval, these changes are likely to result in two main types of forces: Deployable Forces (DF) and In-Place Forces (IPF). In order to provide flexibility for conducting the full range of NATO missions, both of these can be sub-divided into three types of forces reflecting their readiness levels: High Readiness Forces (HRF), Forces at Lower Readiness (FLR) and Long Term Build-up Forces (LTBF). Deployable Forces are those forces available for the full range of NATO missions. They can be fully deployed throughout Alliance territory and beyond. They will provide the capability for rapid reaction and reinforcement of In-Place Forces in the case of any Article 5 operation, as well as rapid reaction and rotation of such forces in the case of non-Article 5 crisis response operations. In-Place Forces are predominantly those required for collective defence within or near the territory of the nation providing them. Such forces need not be fully deployable but will be held at appropriate readiness levels. The majority of such forces are provided by individual nations. The readiness levels affecting both types of forces, to which reference is made above, are as follows; High Readiness Forces (HRF) consist of a limited but military significant proportion of land, air and maritime forces, capable of deploying rapidly or immediately, either for Article 5 collective defence or for non-Article 5 crisis response operations. Forces at Lower Readiness (FLR) are forces that would provide the bulk of the forces required for collective defence, for further reinforcement of a particular region and for the rotation of forces needed to sustain non-Article 5 operations, whether within or beyond Alliance territory. Long Term Build-up Forces (LTBF) are those that would provide a long-term build-up and augmentation capability for the worst case scenario of large-scale Article 5 operations. They would enable the Alliance to build up larger forces needed to undertake specific tasks and to respond to any fundamental changes in the international security environment. Individual nations are responsible for establishing the reinforcement plans needed to provide this long-term capability in accordance with their constitutional procedures. The forces available to NATO are further delineated between those which come under the operational command or operational control of a NATO Strategic Commander when required, in accordance with specified procedures or at prescribed times; and those which member states have agreed to assign to the operational command of a Strategic Commander at a future date, if required. Some of the above terms have precise military definitions. The terms "command" and "control", for example, relate to the nature of the authority exercised by military commanders over the forces assigned to them. When used internationally, these terms do not necessarily have the same implications as they do when used in a purely national context. In assigning forces to NATO, member nations assign operational command or operational control as distinct from full command over all aspects of the operations and administration of those forces. These latter aspects continue to be a national responsibility and remain under national control. In general, most NATO forces remain under full national command until they are assigned to the Alliance for a specific operation decided upon at the political level. Exceptions to this rule are the integrated staffs in the various NATO military headquarters; parts of the integrated air defence structure, including the Airborne Early Warning and Control Force (AWACS); some communications units; and the Standing Naval Forces as well as other elements of the Alliance's High Readiness Forces.