What term describes authority granted by a commander to a subordinate to directly consult or coordinate an action?

• A. Direct Liaison Authorized
• B. Operational Control
• C. Tactical Control
• D. Command and Control

Answer: (A)

Direct liaison authorization is the formal permission a commander gives a subordinate to directly consult or coordinate actions with another unit or organization, bypassing the usual higher-headquarters routing. This accelerates coordination when time is critical and helps keep actions synchronized across units. It’s not about control of forces or the overall command-and-control system, which is why the other terms don’t describe this specific permission: operational control covers directing forces to accomplish missions, tactical control covers directing specific tasks, and command and control refers to the broader framework of authority and information flow. By enabling direct contact between units, Direct Liaison Authorized (often called DIRLAUTH) matches the described scenario.