Bill Nichols Department of Defense Reorganization Act of 1986

Department of Defense Reorganization Act of 1986 - Title I: Unified and Specified Commands - Amends general military law to direct the President to establish unified and specified combatant commands to perform military missions and to prescribe the force structure of such commands. Authorizes the Secretary of Defense, if a situation warrants it, to establish a special combatant command. Requires the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) to periodically (not less frequently than every other year) review the overall structure of the unified and specified combatant commands and make appropriate recommendations to the President. Directs the President to promptly notify the Congress of any action taken in response to such recommendations.

Directs the Secretary of each military department to assign all forces under their jurisdiction (except forces assigned to recruiting, organizing, training, or supplying the armed forces) to unified and specified combatant commands as established under this Act. Outlines provisions concerning the command hierarchy of such assigned forces. Provides that commanders of combatant commands shall be supervised by the Chairman of JCS, and be responsible to the President and the Secretary of Defense for their missions. Makes the Secretary of each military department responsible for the support and administration of forces assigned by that department to combatant commands. Authorizes the commander of a combatant command to request the Secretary of Defense for the transfer to such commander of support or administrative functions.

Directs the Secretary of Defense to include in the annual budget of the Department of Defense (DOD) a separate budget proposal for activities of each of the unified and specified combatant commands. Outlines information concerning activities of such combatant commands to be included in such proposals. Requires the commander of each such command to submit to the Chairman of JCS, for review and recommendations, annual program and budget proposals for such commands.

Outlines provisions concerning the selection and tenure of combatant command subordinate commanders and staff officers.

Establishes in DOD the Joint Commanders Council, consisting of the Chairman of JCS and the commanders of the combatant commands. Directs such council to advise the chairman, the President, and the Secretary of Defense on appropriate matters.

Requires the Chairman of JCS to submit to the Secretary of Defense recommendation for the allocation of defense resources under the proposed national defense budget for each fiscal year, and to take certain other specified actions in connection with activities of the unified and specified combatant commands.

Directs the Secretary of Defense (the Secretary) to provide for the transfer of staff personnel to the staffs of the commanders of the unified and specified commands in conformity with the reorganization under this Act. Limits the total staff size of the unified and specified commands to a number no greater than the staff size of the military departments before such transfer. Outlines considerations to be included in the initial review of the structure of the unified and specified commands.

Title II: Defense Agencies - Directs the Secretary, in appropriate cases, to provide for the performance by one agency or organization of supply or service activities common to more than one military department. Directs the Secretary to periodically (and not less frequently than every two years) review the services and supplies provided by the defense agencies to ensure that such provision is more economical than the provision of such services by the military departments. Specifies various officers and directors whose views are required as part of the Secretary's review.

Requires the Chairman of JCS to periodically (and not less frequently than every two years) report to the Secretary concerning the combat support agencies. Outlines information to be included in each report.

Directs the Chairman to: (1) provide for the participation of the combat support agencies in joint training exercises; and (2) assess the performance of each agency in such exercise and provide for any necessary changes. Requires the chairman to develop a uniform system for reporting each such agency's readiness to perform in a war or threat to national security.

Establishes in each combat support agency a combat support agency policy council. Outlines the composition of such council. Requires such council to: (1) advise the director of that agency on policy matters relating to the operation of that agency; and (2) consider and provide advice as directed by the Secretary of Defense.

Requires the director of a combat support agency, upon request, to assign a representative of that agency to the headquarters of a unified or specified combatant commands. Defines "combat support agency."

Requires the Secretary of Defense to conduct a study of the functions and organizational structure of the defense agencies. Outlines determinations to be made in such study.

Directs the Chairman of JCS and the Secretaries of the military departments to each conduct a study of the functions and organizational structure of the defense agencies. Requires each such study to be submitted to the Secretary of Defense. Outlines matters to be considered in each such study.

Directs the Secretary of Defense, within a specified conditional deadline, to report to the Senate and House Armed Services Committees concerning the studies made of the functions and organizational structure of the defense agencies, together with recommendations.

Title III: Joint Officer Subspecialty - Directs the Secretary of Defense to establish a secondary occupational specialty for officers in each branch of the armed forces, to be known as the joint subspecialty. Outlines provisions concerning the number, selection, and assignments of officers to joint subspecialties. Directs the Secretary to establish career guidelines for officers in the joint subspecialty.

Directs the Secretary to revise the curriculum of schools of the National Defense University in order to enhance the education and training of officers in joint military matters. Requires officers graduating from a joint military school in a joint subspecialty to be assigned to a joint position in that officer's next duty assignment. Prohibits an officer from commanding a unified or specified combatant command unless such officer is in a joint subspecialty. Prohibits an officer from appointment as Chairman of JCS unless the officer has served as the commander of a unified or specified command.

Sets forth the promotion policy for joint service officers (including faster promotions). Directs the Secretary to establish procedures for monitoring the careers of officers in the joint subspecialty or other joint officers.

Revises provisions concerning the review of promotion lists by the Chairman of JCS to allow the Chairman, in a limited number of instances, to recommend for promotion officers who: (1) have served in joint assignments; and (2) were considered by a review board but not recommended for promotion. Allows the Secretary of the military department concerned to disagree with the Chairman's promotion recommendations. Requires the Secretary concerned to record their disagreement as part of their transmittal to the Secretary of Defense of the selection board's report. Requires the Secretary of Defense to resolve any such disagreements before transmitting the report to the President.

Requires previous joint officer assignments for officers promoted to brigadier general or real admiral (lower half). Authorizes the Secretary to waive such prerequisite in appropriate cases. Outlines the length of duty as a joint officer required for promotion to certain grades.

Requires the Chairman of JCS to advise the Secretaries of the military departments concerned with respect to duty assignments of officers in the joint subspecialty and other joint officers. Requires the Secretary of Defense to ensure that military schools strengthen the focus on joint military operations in preparing certain level officers for joint duty assignments.

Directs the Secretary of Defense to make the initial selection of officers for the joint subspecialty, following certain special rules.

Title IV: Military Department Organization - Directs the Secretary of Defense to reorganize the executive part of the military departments, following specified reorganization policies. Defines the executive part of each military department. Outlines the functions of the Assistant Secretaries of a military department as reorganized under this Act. Limits to 30 the size of the personal staff of the Secretary of a military department. Limits the size of the staff of each military department to 85 percent of the size of such staff before the reorganization.

Requires the Secretary of Defense to provide that operation and planning responsibilities that are duplicated by the staff of the JCS shall be shifted to that staff.

Requires the Secretary, as well as the Secretaries of the military departments, to provide that functions able to be performed by commands outside the Washington, D.C. area shall be reassigned to those commands.

Directs the Secretary to complete implementation of this title no later than 180 days after the enactment of this Act, and to report to the Congress on such implementation 30 days after such date.