COMBAT CAMERA (COMCAM)
Service Combat Camera capabilities are required IAW CJCSI 3205.01, Joint Combat Camera (COMCAM), DODI 5040.02, Visual Information, and AFI 35-109, Visual Information.
The mission of COMCAM is to provide the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD), the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (CJCS), the Military Departments (MILDEPs), the combatant commands, and the joint task forces (JTFs) with a directed imagery capability in support of operational and planning requirements during wartime operations, worldwide crises, contingencies, and joint exercises.
COMCAM imagery serves as a visual record of an operation and is of immeasurable value to decision makers in the OSD, Joint Staff, and combatant commands. COMCAM imagery is also significant for public affairs, public diplomacy and psychological operations.
COMCAM imagery is a fundamental tool of decision makers and commanders that provides essential battlefield information. COMCAM imagery is to be shared, as required, to simultaneously support operational and planning requirements of OSD, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, MILDEPs, combatant commands, Defense agencies, and other DOD components.
COMCAM is an essential battlefield information resource that supports strategic, tactical, and operational mission objectives. It is a deployable force multiplier that provides commanders with combat-trained documentation teams that are primary suppliers of operational imagery to support battlefield information superiority.
Commanders involved in wartime operations, worldwide crises, contingencies, joint exercises, and other events involving DOD components having significant national interest will plan for, task, sustain, and employ COMCAM forces. Commanders will also expeditiously process through their respective Joint Imagery Management Operations Cell (JIMOC) and forward COMCAM imagery with captions to the Defense Imagery Management Operations Center (DIMOC).
The DIMOC is the central DOD reception and distribution point for COMCAM imagery. The DIMOC electronically processes and edits imagery acquired by DOD photographers, primarily operating in joint and Service combat camera teams, deployed to wartime, contingency and humanitarian operations, joint exercises, and other operations involving U.S. military forces.
The DIMOC distributes imagery to OSD, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Services, combatant commands, Defense agencies, other DOD components, and other federal agencies.
AFPAA is the service lead for providing COMCAM forces on behalf of the Air Force with its 1st Combat Camera Squadron at Joint Base Charleston SC, and its 3d Combat Camera Squadron at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland TX.
To request Combat Camera support click on this link:
Combat Camera Request