Authority
UNITAF recognises a hierarchy of authority when clear direction is needed:
- Written Doctrine: The Force Manual, which you are reading is the primary source of established doctrine. It contains written policies, procedures, guides, skills and standards that have been formally approved by Central Command (CC) FM/BG-611.
- Verbal or Written Instructions:
- When the Force Manual is silent on a specific issue, direction from Officers (whether verbal or written) constitutes de facto doctrine.
- While best practice encourages incorporating these instructions into the Force Manual, this is not always feasible or necessary.
- Officer instructions should not contradict written doctrine, but exceptions can be made by Central Command in accordance with Chain of Command per Unit structure and organisation FM/C115. In any such cases, Officers should clarify written doctrine as soon as is practical.
- Precedent: If neither written doctrine nor Officer instruction provide clear guidance, precedent may be considered. If a specific action or behaviour has been consistently permitted or prohibited in the past, this may serve as a temporary guideline. However, members should always seek clarification from Officers rather than assuming precedent is binding. Precedent is a starting point for discussion, not always a definitive answer.
For more information about Officers within Unit Command, see: Unit Structure FM/G58