They have no combat authority, that is true. But they have TONS of sway over the Generals and Admirals they've promoted and assigned to those combat roles. If they're persuasive enough and threatening enough, the Branches will follow their orders.
I point to Operation Desert Storm and Gen "Stormin" Norman Swarzkopf. If he had had his way, Saddam Hussein would've been dealt with in '91. Except, Colin Powell told him no, practically threatened him with a Court Martial, and then convinced H.W. to agree to Powell's orders for Swarzkopf to stop pursuing the Iraqi Army back to Baghdad.
That is just one example of the away and pull the JCS has over the Branches.
They have no combat authority, that is true. But they have TONS of sway over the Generals and Admirals they've promoted and assigned to those combat roles. If they're persuasive enough and threatening enough, the Branches will follow their orders.
I point to Operation Desert Storm and Gen "Stormin" Norman Swarzkopf. If he had had his way, Saddam Hussein would've been dealt with in '91. Except, Colin Powell told him no, practically threatened him with a Court Martial, and then convinced H.W. to agree to Powell's orders for Swarzkopf to stop pursuing the Iraqi Army back to Baghdad.
That is just one example of the away and pull the JCS has over the Branches.