The Pentagon has decided to form five standing headquarters units (each less than 100 people) which will be assigned to the regional commands. The theory is that these headquarters, because they already exist and will be familiar with the territory they cover, could quickly take command of a joint task force deployed to a given region in a crisis. Currently, the military has to create such headquarters on the spot, and the personnel (having not worked together) cannot function as well as a standing unit where the people already know each other and their area. These new headquarters will be provided with a new Deployable Joint Command & Control system developed by the Navy.--Stephen V Cole