The role of SMCA was established in 1977 to avoid duplication of effort and other inefficiencies observed in conventional ammunition management. DoDD 5160.65 captures the overall mission and responsibilities for the SMCA and designates the Secretary of the the Army (SA) as the DoD SMCA. This mission has been assigned to the SA since the SMCA's inception.

The SA delegated conventional ammunition management authority and responsibility to the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics and Technology (ASA(ALT)), who, in turn, assigned the Joint Program Executive Office Armaments and Ammunition (JPEO A&A)  with responsibility to execute the SMCA mission. The Joint Munitions Command (JMC)  provides life-cycle functions of logistics sustainment, readiness and acquisition support for all US Military Services, Other Government Agencies (OGA), and allied nations as directed. According to the JMC website, they are "the the logistics integrator for life-cycle management of ammunition providing a global presence of technical support to frontline units."

DoDI 5160.68, Single Manager for Conventional Ammunition (SMCA): Responsibilities of the SMCA, the Military Services, and the United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM), implements DoD Directive 5160.65 by specifying the functional responsibilities and mission functions to be performed by the SA or designee as SMCA and by the Military Service and USSOCOM customers on conventional ammunition management actions. DoDI 5160.68 also requires that the SMCA, Military Service, and USSOCOM customers jointly develop and distribute Joint Conventional Ammunition Policies and Procedures (JCAPPS) via the Joint Ordnance Commanders Group (JOCG).

The JOCG developed, approved and published the SMCA Charter which reflects agreements among the Military Services and SMCA to achieve the stated objectives. Specifically, the SMC Charter amplifies DoDD 5160.65, and includes the following specific mission functions:

• Research, Development, Test and Evaluation (RDT&E)
• Production Base
• Acquisition
• Supply
• Maintenance
• Demilitarization (DEMIL) and Disposal
• Quality Assurance (QA)
• Technical Data and Configuration Management (CM) and Control
• Transportation and Handling
• Safety
• Security
• Financial Management and Planning
• Programming, Budgeting and Execution
• Implementing Regulations and Assessment
• Personnel and Unit Training
• Security Assistance

In addition, the SMCA Charter states that there will be a continual assessment of "performance, customer expectations and lessons learned to keep pace with the changing business environment and advances in technology.”

DoD Manual (DoDM) 4160.28-V1, Defense Demilitarization: Program Administration, addresses DEMIL of conventional ammunition, stating that the "SMCA manages DEMIL and disposal requirements for conventional ammunition." It goes on to note that per 10 USC 4690, Recyclable munitions materials: sale; use of proceeds, "the SMCA may carry out a program to sell recyclable munitions materiel resulting from the DEMIL of conventional military munitions."