General Types of Doctrine

The Army recognizes four general types of doctrine:

Joint doctrine

Joint doctrine is fundamental principles that guide the employment of United States military forces in coordinated action toward a common objective and may include terms, tactics, techniques, and procedures (CJCSI 5120.02D).

Joint Electronic Library (JEL)

JEL+ (CAC required) (Full list of joint doctrine publications)

DOD Terminology Program

Multinational doctrine

Multinational doctrine is the agreed upon fundamental principles that guide the employment of forces of two or more nations in coordinated action toward a common objective (JP 3-16). The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) is the only organization that writes true multinational doctrine and largely fills the same niche as U.S. joint doctrine. When operating in a NATO context, U.S. forces follow NATO doctrine.

Allied Joint Doctrine Program

Multi-Service doctrine

Multi-Service doctrine contains principles, terms, TTP used and approved by the forces of two or more Services. It performs a common military function consistent with approved joint doctrine.

The Air Land Sea Space Application Center is a multi-Service organization established by the doctrine centers to develop tactical-level solutions of multi-Service interoperability issues consistent with Joint and Service doctrine.

Service doctrine

Service doctrine consists of publications approved by a single Service for use within that Service. This doctrine provides fundamental principles that guide the employment of Service forces in coordinated action toward a common objective and may include (as Army doctrine does) TTP, terms, and symbols. Each Service publishes its own doctrine publications under various nomenclatures.