Distinguish between command relationships and command authority.

• A. Command relationships are administrative labels with no effect on who can issue orders.
• B. Command authority is the informal influence of senior leaders.
• C. Command relationships define who can give orders to whom; command authority is the formal power to direct forces.
• D. Command relationships refer to legal mandates, while command authority refers to the operating tempo.

Answer: (C)

Command relationships specify who is authorized to give orders to whom across different units or commands, laying out how forces are aligned for coordination and execution. Command authority is the formal, legal power granted by a higher commander to direct those forces, including making decisions and directing actions within that framework.

In practice, this means the relationship sets the reporting and tasking lines that enable coordination (who can direct whom and under what scope), while authority is the actual power to command, allocate resources, and issue actionable directives. The two work together to ensure orders come from the right person and are enforceable within the authorized command structure.

For example, a higher headquarters might establish a command relationship that allows a coordinating unit to task forces from other commands for a joint operation, but the extent to which those forces must comply and how resources are allocated comes from the formal command authority granted to the commanding officer of the operation.