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Chapter 12: The Military Command Structure The Military Structure   Canada - United States Regional Planning Group (CUSRPG) NATO's Civil and Military Structure The Canada-United States Regional Planning Group (CUSRPG) is composed of military representatives of Canada and the United States. Its function is to coordinate the defence efforts of NATO in the Canada-United States (CANUS) region. There is no overall NATO commander for the region. Command arrangements therefore depend on the existing structures of the Canadian and United States armed forces and the North American Aerospace Defence Command (NORAD), unless the respective military and national authorities determine that the formation of other combined headquarters is required to exercise such command. The mission of the CUSRPG is to undertake the military planning required to preserve the peace, security and territorial integrity of the CANUS region. This includes arrangements for the basing and protection of strategic nuclear forces in this area; early warning and air defence; protection of industrial mobilisation and military potential; and defence against military actions which pose a threat to the security of the region. The CUSRPG is composed of a Chiefs of Staff Committee (COSC), a Regional Planning Committee (RPC), a Regional Planning Committee Working Team (RPC WT), and a Secretariat located in Washington. Observers from the NATO International Military Staff (IMS) and the NATO Strategic Commanders (SCs) may be invited to attend RPC meetings. The Chief of the Defence Staff of Canada and the United States Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff are responsible to the NATO Military Committee (MC) for the coordination of NATO matters in the CANUS region. This includes the preparation and approval of plans for the defence of the CANUS region which are forwarded to the Chairman of the NATO Military Committee; maintaining liaison with the Chairman of the Military Committee, the NATO Strategic Commanders and other NATO agencies as required; and overseeing NATO and Partnership for Peace (PfP) training and exercise activities in the CANUS region.