Secretary Of Defense
{| class="toccolours" border="1" cellpadding="4" style="float: right; margin: 0 0 1em 1em; width: 20em; border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 95%; clear: right;"|+ Department of Defense|-|style="background:#efefef;" align="center" colspan="2"||-|Established:||July 26, 1947, [1947, [1949|-|[United States Deputy Secretary of Defense:||Gordon R. England, [Joint Chiefs of Staff:||Admiral (United States) Michael Mullen:||$419.3 billion (2006 official)|-|Employees:||700,000 civilian
2.3 million military (2004)|-|Address:||[The Pentagon Secretary of [Defense (military) (SECDEF) is the head of the United States Department of Defense (DoD), concerned with the Military of the United States and Military of the United States. The role of the Secretary of Defense is to be the principal defense policy advisor to the President of the United States and is responsible for the formulation of general defense policy and policy related to all matters of direct and primary concern to the DoD, and for the execution of approved policy. The Secretary is appointed by the President with the approval of the United States Senate, and is a member of the United States Cabinet. By statute the secretary must be a civilian who has not served in the active component of the Military of the United States for at least 10 years (10 United States Code Sec. 113 - Note that United States Congress had passed a law to allow George Marshall to be appointed in 1950 despite having only been a civilian since 1945). The Secretary of Defense is sixth in the United States presidential line of succession.
History The position was created in 1947 when the United States Navy, United States Army, and newly created United States Air Force were merged into the new National Military Establishment. In the same massive reorganization, the United States Secretary of War was replaced by the United States Secretary of the Army and, along with the United States Secretary of the Navy and the new United States Secretary of the Air Force, became a non-Cabinet position placed under the Secretary of Defense. In 1949, the National Military Establishment was renamed the Department of Defense, which remains the current name of the department.
Organization Within the Military of the United States, the Secretary of Defense is often referred to as SecDef.
The SecDef and the President together constitute the National Command Authority (NCA), which has sole authority to launch strategic nuclear weapons. All nuclear weapons are governed by the two-man rule, even at the highest levels in government. Both individuals must concur before a strategic nuclear strike may be ordered.
The SecDef, as the head of the United States Office of the Secretary of Defense, is assisted by a Deputy Secretary and five Under Secretaries in the fields of Acquisition, Technology & Logistics; Comptroller/Chief Financial Officer; Intelligence; Personnel & Readiness; and arguably the most important, Policy. All of these positions require Senate confirmation.
The Secretary of Defense also supervises the six members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the commanders of the ten Combatant Commands.
Along with the United States Secretary of State, the United States Attorney General and the United States Secretary of the Treasury, the Secretary of Defense is generally regarded as one of the "Big Four" important cabinet officials.
List of Secretaries of Defense {| class="wikitable"!rowspan="2"| #!rowspan="2"| Picture!rowspan="2"| Name!colspan="2"| Term of Office!rowspan="2"| President of the United States served under|-! Start! End|-! 1| | James Forrestal, [1947, [1949|-! 2| | [Louis A. Johnson, [1949, [1950|-! 3| | [George Marshall| September 21, 1950, [1951|-! 4| | [Robert A. Lovett, [1951, [1953|-! 5| | [Charles Erwin Wilson| January 28, 1953, [1957|-! 6| | [Neil H. McElroy, [1957, [1959|-! 7| | [Thomas S. Gates, [1959, [1961|-! 8| | [Robert McNamara| January 21, 1961, [1968, [LBJ|-! 9| | Clark M. Clifford, [1968, [1969|-! 10| | [Melvin R. Laird, [1969, [1973|-! 11| | [Elliot Richardson| January 30, 1973, [1973|-! 12| | [James R. Schlesinger, [1973, [1975, [Gerald Ford| [November 20, 1975, [1977|-! 14| | [Harold Brown (Secretary of Defense)| January 21, 1977, [1981|-! 15| | [Caspar Weinberger| January 21, 1981, [1987|-! 16| | [Frank Carlucci| November 23, 1987, [1989|-! 17| | [Dick Cheney| March 21, 1989, [1993|-! 18| | [Les Aspin, [1993, [1994|-! 19| | [William Perry| February 3, 1994, [1997|-! 20| | [William Cohen| January 24, 1997, [2001|-! 21| | [Donald Rumsfeld| January 20, [2001, [2006|-! 22| | [Robert M. Gates, [2006|}
Line of succession In an Executive Order of December 22, 2005, President George W. Bush modified the line of succession regarding who would act as Secretary of Defense in the event of a vacancy or incapacitation as follows:
Deputy Secretary of Defense
Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence
Under Secretary of Defense for Policy
Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics
Secretary of the Army
Secretary of the Air Force
Secretary of the Navy
Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness and the Under Secretary of Defense (Comptroller)
Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Technology, Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Policy, and Deputy
References
External links
2.3 million military (2004)|-|Address:||[The Pentagon Secretary of [Defense (military) (SECDEF) is the head of the United States Department of Defense (DoD), concerned with the Military of the United States and Military of the United States. The role of the Secretary of Defense is to be the principal defense policy advisor to the President of the United States and is responsible for the formulation of general defense policy and policy related to all matters of direct and primary concern to the DoD, and for the execution of approved policy. The Secretary is appointed by the President with the approval of the United States Senate, and is a member of the United States Cabinet. By statute the secretary must be a civilian who has not served in the active component of the Military of the United States for at least 10 years (10 United States Code Sec. 113 - Note that United States Congress had passed a law to allow George Marshall to be appointed in 1950 despite having only been a civilian since 1945). The Secretary of Defense is sixth in the United States presidential line of succession.
History The position was created in 1947 when the United States Navy, United States Army, and newly created United States Air Force were merged into the new National Military Establishment. In the same massive reorganization, the United States Secretary of War was replaced by the United States Secretary of the Army and, along with the United States Secretary of the Navy and the new United States Secretary of the Air Force, became a non-Cabinet position placed under the Secretary of Defense. In 1949, the National Military Establishment was renamed the Department of Defense, which remains the current name of the department.
Organization Within the Military of the United States, the Secretary of Defense is often referred to as SecDef.
The SecDef and the President together constitute the National Command Authority (NCA), which has sole authority to launch strategic nuclear weapons. All nuclear weapons are governed by the two-man rule, even at the highest levels in government. Both individuals must concur before a strategic nuclear strike may be ordered.
The SecDef, as the head of the United States Office of the Secretary of Defense, is assisted by a Deputy Secretary and five Under Secretaries in the fields of Acquisition, Technology & Logistics; Comptroller/Chief Financial Officer; Intelligence; Personnel & Readiness; and arguably the most important, Policy. All of these positions require Senate confirmation.
The Secretary of Defense also supervises the six members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the commanders of the ten Combatant Commands.
Along with the United States Secretary of State, the United States Attorney General and the United States Secretary of the Treasury, the Secretary of Defense is generally regarded as one of the "Big Four" important cabinet officials.
List of Secretaries of Defense {| class="wikitable"!rowspan="2"| #!rowspan="2"| Picture!rowspan="2"| Name!colspan="2"| Term of Office!rowspan="2"| President of the United States served under|-! Start! End|-! 1| | James Forrestal, [1947, [1949|-! 2| | [Louis A. Johnson, [1949, [1950|-! 3| | [George Marshall| September 21, 1950, [1951|-! 4| | [Robert A. Lovett, [1951, [1953|-! 5| | [Charles Erwin Wilson| January 28, 1953, [1957|-! 6| | [Neil H. McElroy, [1957, [1959|-! 7| | [Thomas S. Gates, [1959, [1961|-! 8| | [Robert McNamara| January 21, 1961, [1968, [LBJ|-! 9| | Clark M. Clifford, [1968, [1969|-! 10| | [Melvin R. Laird, [1969, [1973|-! 11| | [Elliot Richardson| January 30, 1973, [1973|-! 12| | [James R. Schlesinger, [1973, [1975, [Gerald Ford| [November 20, 1975, [1977|-! 14| | [Harold Brown (Secretary of Defense)| January 21, 1977, [1981|-! 15| | [Caspar Weinberger| January 21, 1981, [1987|-! 16| | [Frank Carlucci| November 23, 1987, [1989|-! 17| | [Dick Cheney| March 21, 1989, [1993|-! 18| | [Les Aspin, [1993, [1994|-! 19| | [William Perry| February 3, 1994, [1997|-! 20| | [William Cohen| January 24, 1997, [2001|-! 21| | [Donald Rumsfeld| January 20, [2001, [2006|-! 22| | [Robert M. Gates, [2006|}
Line of succession In an Executive Order of December 22, 2005, President George W. Bush modified the line of succession regarding who would act as Secretary of Defense in the event of a vacancy or incapacitation as follows:
References
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External links
- {{cite web|url=http://www.defenselink.mil/osd/topleaders.aspx|title=Top Civilian and Military Leaders|ork=U.S. Department of Defense|accessmonthday=October 13 |accessyear=2007|
- More information on each position and biographies of the current Deputy Secretary (DepSecDef) and Under Secretaries (USDs)
- Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said a new handbook is another step in improving the care and support wouynded, ill or injured troops and their families deserve.
- The United States Secretary of Defense (SECDEF) is the head of the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), concerned with the armed services and military matters.
- Donald Rumsfeld Former Secretary of Defense www.defenselink.mil. Donald H. Rumsfeld was sworn in as the 21st Secretary of Defense on January 20, 2001, and served until December 18 ...
- Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates describes Gen. David H. Petraeus as "a model of a modern commander: part general, part diplomat, part administrator.” He said the new commander ...
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- Supervises the DoD's acquisition process, research and development; advanced technology; test and evaluation; production; logistics; military construction; procurement; economic ...
- Nelson Victorino, Spokesperson of the Secretary of National Defense: The Department of National Defense wishes to thank Ms. Cheche Lazaro and the The Probe Team for ...
- U.S. Relations With the People's Republic of China (2008) U.S. Department of Defense Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Public Affairs)
- OFFICE OF FREEDOM OF INFORMATION (OFOI) The mission of the Office of Freedom of Information is to provide access to records created by the Office of the Secretary of Defense and ...
- Profile: Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld ... Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld is possibly the most controversial figure in the Bush administration.