UNSC High Command

The UNSC High Command, also known as HIGHCOM and The Admiralty, is the highest governing body of the United Nations Space Command that oversees all activities and operations conducted by the UNSC Armed Forces. High Command consists of the top leaders from every branch in the UNSC, along with commanders from the UNSC Naval Command and Unified Ground Command. There are, on average, twenty officers and enlisted personnel total working together to assist the direction of the UNSC Armed Forces.

Role and Responsibilities
As the governing body of the UNSC, HIGHCOM focuses on policy, personnel readiness, planning, training, and equipping the military branches along with unified commands with tools to succeed. Since HIGHCOM brings in the top officers in each branch and staff position, the importance of bettering the UNSC as a military and scientific organization is stressed through each decision brought during a meeting. HIGHCOM also serves as a means for civilian and military personnel to call a hearing on growing subjects they wish for the command to focus on.

Organization and Positions
Initially, HIGHCOM reported directly to the United Earth Government's Security Council to help the government make educated decisions. However, the UNSC Security Council took that position over, and HIGHCOM officers were dual-hatted as UNSC Security Council and HIGHCOM members due to the UNSC suspending government activities. After the war, HIGHCOM began reporting to the Phoenix Initiative's Security Council after handing the position back to the civilian government.

The overall commander of the UNSC High Command holds the title of Commander-in-Chief of the UNSC Armed Forces, who is appointed a Vice Commander-in-Chief of the UNSC Armed Forces. The Commander-in-Chief is considered the highest-ranked officer in the UNSC Armed Forces who assist with advancing the military in many fields. Both a Commander-in-Chief and a Vice Commander-in-Chief are selected by the government unless during the Human-Covenant War. Then the two positions are selected through a vote throughout HIGHCOM staff. The senior-most enlisted position is called called the Senior Enlisted Advisor of the UNSC Armed Forces, who is assigned directly to the Commander-in-Chief and Vice Commander-in-Chief as their Senior Enlisted Advisor.

The Aerospace Force, Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and ONI have positions in HIGHCOM where they inform each other about what their objectives are for each branch and the necessary route for success. The officers from each branch are considered the overall leaders of their military branch; they are the single spokesperson for everyone in their force. The positions of each branch are permanent, but the personnel may rotate around due to timing. A deputy commander of the branch may sit in on a meeting and act on behalf of the commanding officer.

Complementing HIGHCOM includes a Director of HIGHCOM Staff who oversees the day-to-day operations and assist the commanders with anything during a meeting. The position is considered instrumental due to the Director's ability to coordinate meetings with personnel from the government, military, and civilian spheres of influence. The Director reports to the Commander-in-Chief and Vice Commander-in-Chief daily with reports and information.

The rest of the HIGHCOM Staff is filled out with commanding officers who are experts in a designated area of military. Each position focuses on the entire UNSC to ensure they are operating at peak performance. Officers in these positions work closely with the Director to ensure the entire HIGHCOM Staff understands and interprets any solutions to problems or advances to be made.
 * J-1: Manpower and Personnel
 * J-2: Intelligence
 * J-3: Operations
 * J-4: Logistics
 * J-5: Strategy and Policy
 * J-6: Joint Forces Development
 * J-7: Force Structure, Resources, and Assessment

Both Naval Command and Unified Ground Command hold permanent positions in HIGHCOM while Unified Special Warfare Command and Naval Special Warfare Command are called upon only by request. The Naval Command focuses on advocating for all expeditionary units throughout the UNSC Sphere of Influence as the Unified Ground Command voices his opinions on all troops involved in planetary defense. When NAVCOM and UNICOM are to work together, HIGHCOM serves as a mediator between the two unified commands to sort out any issues. Both Unified Commands work closely with the Director to ensure they get what they need from HIGHCOM to accomplish their mission.

Subordinate Branches
The UNSC High Command holds a host of subordinate units to encompass the many other functions of the UNSC such as the UNSC Communications Commission to assist with communication decisions and protocols across the UNSC.