What has given commanders the ability to leverage many joint capabilities at the lowest levels?

Decentralized command structures have fundamentally changed how military operations are conducted, empowering lower-level commanders to make decisions and leverage various joint capabilities effectively. This shift allows for more agile and responsive operations as leaders at lower levels gain greater authority and autonomy. By reducing the hierarchical nature of command, units can adapt quickly to changing situations on the battlefield, facilitating collaboration and integration of multi-service assets.

Such structures support the principles of mission command, promoting initiative and decentralized execution in dynamic and complex environments. Consequently, lower-level leaders can better utilize the resources and capabilities of different branches of the military to achieve mission objectives more efficiently and effectively.

In contrast, while increased technology integration, enhanced joint training programs, and robust communication tools are all essential to modern military operations, they serve to support and enhance the capabilities that decentralized command structures enable rather than directly granting the ability to leverage joint capabilities at lower levels.