The United States Department of Defense has a complex organizational structure.
It includes the Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, the Unified combatant
commands, U.S. elements of multinational commands, as well as non-combat agencies
such as the Defense Intelligence Agency and the National Security Agency. The
DoD's annual budget was roughly US$786 billion in 2007. This figure does not
include tens of billions more in supplemental expenditures allotted by
Congress throughout the year, particularly for the war in Iraq, or
expenditures by the Department of Energy on nuclear weapons design and testing.
Civilian control over matters other than operations is exercised through the
three service departments, the Department of the Army, the Department
of the Navy, and the Department of the Air Force. Each is led by a service
secretary, who is below Cabinet rank. In wartime, the Department has authority
over the Coast Guard, which is under the control of the Department of Homeland
Security in peacetime. Prior to the creation of DHS, the Coast Guard was
under the control of the Department of Transportation, and earlier under the
Department of the Treasury. According to the U.S. Code, the Coast Guard is at all
times considered one of the five armed services of the United States. During
times of declared war, the Coast Guard operates as a part of the Navy; this has
not happened since World War II, but members have served in undeclared wars
and conflicts since then while the service remained in its peacetime
department. The Pentagon, in Arlington County,
Virginia, across the Potomac River from Washington, D.C., is the Department's
headquarters. The Department is protected by the Pentagon Force
Protection Agency, which ensures law enforcement and security for the
Pentagon and various other jurisdictions throughout the National Capital Region.
Chain of Command The President of the United States is,
according to the Constitution, the Commander-in-Chief of the U.S. Armed
Forces and Chief Executive of the Federal Government. The Secretary of
Defense is the "Principal Assistant to the President in all matters relating to
the Department of Defense", and is vested with statutory authority to lead
the Department and all of its component agencies, including military command
authority second only to the President. The President and the Secretary of
Defense exercise authority and control of the Armed Forces through two distinct
branches of the chain of command. One branch runs from the President, through
the Secretary of Defense, to the Combatant Commanders for missions and
forces assigned to their commands. The other branch, used for purposes other
than operational direction of forces assigned to the combatant commands, runs
from the President through the Secretary of Defense to the Secretaries of the
Military Departments, i.e., the Secretary of the Army, the Secretary of
the Navy, and the Secretary of the Air Force. The Military Departments,
organized separately within the Department, operate under the authority,
direction, and control of the Secretary of that Military Department. The
Secretaries of the Military Departments exercise authority through their
respective Service Chiefs over forces not assigned to a Combatant Command. The
Service Chiefs, except as otherwise prescribed by law, perform their duties
under the authority, direction, and control of the Secretaries of their
respective Military Departments, to whom they are directly responsible.
In the Goldwater-Nichols Department of Defense Reorganization Act of 1986,
Congress clarified the command line to the combatant commanders and preserved
civilian control of the military. The Act states that the operational chain of
command runs from the President to the Secretary of Defense to the Combatant
Commanders. The Act permits the President to direct that communications
pass through the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from the Secretary of
Defense, and to the Combatant Commanders. This authority places the
Chairman in the communications chain. Further, the Act gives the Secretary of
Defense wide latitude to assign the Chairman oversight responsibilities for
the activities of the Combatant Commanders.
= Civilian control = Article II Section 2 of the Constitution
designates the President as "Commander in Chief" of the Army, Navy and state
militias. The President exercises this supreme command authority through the
civilian Secretary of Defense, who by federal law is the head of the
department, has authority direction, and control over the Department of Defense,
and is the principal assistant to the President in all matters relating to the
Department of Defense. The Secretary's principal deputy is the equally civilian
Deputy Secretary of Defense who is delegated full powers to act for the
Secretary of Defense. The Office of the Secretary of Defense is the Secretary
and Deputy Secretary's civilian staff, which includes several Under Secretaries
and Assistant Secretaries of Defense with functional oversight
responsibilities. The Secretaries of the Military Departments are subordinate to
the Secretary of Defense. They have the authority under Title 10 of the United
States Code to conduct all the affairs of their respective departments within
which the military services are organized.
Historically, there have been challenges to civilian control. Most notably,
during the Korean War, General Douglas MacArthur ignored civilian instructions
regarding advancing troops toward the Yalu River, which triggered an
introduction of massive forces from China. Also, on April 5, 1950,
Representative Joseph William Martin, Jr., the Minority Leader of the United
States House of Representatives, released copies of a letter from
MacArthur critical of President Harry S. Truman's limited-war strategy to the
press and read it aloud on the floor of the house. President Truman relieved
MacArthur of command, and MacArthur then explored political options against
Truman. The Revolt of the Admirals is another example in the same era of a
challenge to civilian control. DoD policies and directives protect the
policy of civilian control by establishing strict limitations on the
political activities of members of the military. For example, DoD Directive
1344.10 prohibits active-duty members of the military from running for office or
making political appearances in uniform. However, enforcing this strict
separation between the military and politics has been problematic. For
example, over the years, many elected officials, including members of
Congress, continued serving in the reserves while holding elected office.
As another example, at a September 14, 2007, rally for Republican Presidential
candidate John McCain in New Hampshire, seven on-duty uniformed Army personnel
addressed the gathering. As another example, although DOD Directive 1344.10
prohibits political appearances by active-duty military members in uniform,
Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell invited a uniformed Army Staff Sergeant to stand
behind him during his televised Republican response to the 2010 State of
the Union Address. Components of the Department of Defense
= Senior Leaders = Secretary of Defense
Deputy Secretary of Defense Deputy Chief Management Officer of the
Department of Defense Immediate Office of the Deputy Secretary
Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Organization
Executive Secretariat Immediate Office of the Secretary
Office of the Secretary of Defense = Acquisition, Technology and Logistics
Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics
Department of Defense Test Resource Management Center
Defense Technical Information Center Defense Advanced Research Projects
Agency Missile Defense Agency
Defense Contract Management Agency Defense Logistics Agency
Defense Threat Reduction Agency Office of Economic Adjustment
Defense Acquisition University Operational Test and Evaluation
Directorate = Policy =
Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Defense Security Cooperation Agency
Defense Policy Board Advisory Committee Defense Prisoner of War/Missing
Personnel Office Defense Technology Security
Administration = Comptroller =
Under Secretary of Defense/Chief Financial Officer
Defense Contract Audit Agency Defense Finance and Accounting Service
= Personnel and Readiness = Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel
and Readiness Principal Deputy Under Secretary of
Defense for Personnel and Readiness Joint Advertising Marketing Research &
Studies Department of Defense Education Activity
Department of Defense Dependents Schools Assistant Secretary of Defense for
Health Affairs Military Health SystemTRICARE Management
Activity Defense Commissary Agency
Defense Human Resources Activity Uniformed Services University of the
Health Sciences Defense Equal Opportunity Management
Institute Office of the Chancellor for Education
and Professional Development = Intelligence =
Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence
Defense Intelligence Agency Defense Security Service
National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency National Reconnaissance Office
National Security Agency Assistant Secretary of Defense for
Networks and Information Integration Defense Information Systems Agency
= Other OSD Offices = Assistant Secretary of Defense for
Public Affairs Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense,
Internal Communications Defense Media Activity
Director of Administration and Management
Pentagon Force Protection Agency Washington Headquarters Services
Director, Program Analysis and Evaluation
Office of Net Assessment General Counsel of the Department of
Defense Defense Legal Services Agency
Defense Agencies Defense Agencies are established as DoD
Components by law, the President, or the Secretary of Defense to provide for the
performance, on a DoD-wide basis, of a supply or service activity that is
common to more than one Military Department when it is determined to be
more effective, economical, or efficient to do so, pursuant to sections 101,
191(a), and 192 of Title 10 of the United States Code or when a
responsibility or function is more appropriately assigned to a Defense
Agency. Pursuant to section 191(b) Title 10, such organizations are designated as
Defense Agencies. Each Defense Agency operates under the authority, direction,
and control of the Secretary of Defense, through a Principal Staff Assistant in
the Office of the Secretary of Defense. Department of Defense Field Activities
Department of Defense Field Activities are established as DoD Components by
law, the President, or the Secretary of Defense to provide for the performance,
on a DoD-wide basis, of a supply or service activity that is common to more
than one Military Department when it is determined to be more effective,
economical, or efficient to do so, pursuant to sections 101, 191(a), and
192 of Title 10 of the United States Code. Pursuant to section 191(b) of
Title 10, such organizations are designated as DoD Field Activities. Each
DoD Field Activity operates under the authority, direction, and control of the
Secretary of Defense, through a Principal Staff Assistant in the Office
of the Secretary of Defense. Military Departments
= Department of the Army = The Department of the Army includes all
elements of the U.S. Army Secretary of the Army
Headquarters, Department of the Army Office of the Secretary of the Army
Chief of Staff of the Army Army Field Organizations
Army Commands Army Component Commands
Field Operating Agencies Direct Reporting Units
= Department of the Navy = The Department of the Navy includes all
elements of the U.S. Navy and the U.S. Marine Corps
Secretary of the Navy Navy Department
Office of the Secretary of the Navy Office of the Chief of Naval Operations
Headquarters Marine Corps = Department of the Air Force =
The Department of the Air Force includes all elements of the U.S. Air Force
Secretary of the Air Force Headquarters Air Force
Office of the Secretary of the Air Force Under Secretary of the Air Force
The Air Staff Chief of Staff of the Air Force
Air Force Field Organizations Major Commands
Direct Reporting Units Field Operating Agencies
Organization of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of
Staff Joint Requirements Oversight Council
Joint Chiefs of Staff The Joint Staff
Director of the Joint Staff DOM- Directorate of Management
J1 - Personnel and Manpower J2 - Intelligence
J3 - Operations National Military Command Center
Alternate National Military Command Center
National Airborne Operations Center J4 - Logistics
J5 - Strategic Plans and Policy J6 - Command, Control, Communications
and Computer Systems J7 - Operational Plans and Joint Force
Development J8 - Force Structure, Resources, and
Assessment National Defense University
College of International Security Affairs
Industrial College of the Armed Forces Information Resources Management College
Joint Forces Staff College National War College
U.S. Delegation to the Inter-American Defense Board
U.S. Delegation to the United Nations Military Staff Committee
U.S. Representative at the NATO Military Committee
U.S. Section, Joint Mexico-U.S. Defense Commission
Unified Combatant Commands There are nine Unified Combatant
Commands; six regional and three functional. Africa Command became
initially operational in October 2007, while Joint Forces Command was
officially disestablished on August 4, 2011.
In 2007, a new geographical command for Africa was authorized. This proposed
significant changes to the areas of responsibility for other adjacent
geographical commands as shown in the accompanying graphic.
Office of the Inspector General of the Department of Defense
The Office of the Inspector General is an independent and objective unit within
the Department of Defense that conducts and supervises audits and investigations
relating to the programs and operations of the Department of Defense, pursuant
to the responsibilities specified in title 5, U.S.C. Appendix and DoDD
5106.01. Inspector General of the Department of
Defense Defense Criminal Investigative Service
National Guard Bureau The National Guard Bureau is a joint
activity of the Department of Defense. The Chief of the National Guard Bureau
is a principal advisor to the Secretary of Defense, through the Chairman of the
Joint Chiefs of Staff, on matters involving non-federalized National Guard
forces, and other matters as determined by the Secretary of Defense. For NGB
matters pertaining to the responsibilities of the Departments of
the Army and Air Force in law or DoD policy, the Secretary of Defense
normally exercises authority, direction, and control over the NGB through the
Secretaries of the Army and the Air Force. The NGB is the focal point at the
strategic level for National Guard matters that are not under the
authority, direction, and control of the Secretaries of the Army or Air Force,
including joint, interagency, and intergovernmental matters where the NGB
acts through other DoD officials as specified in DoDD 5105.77.
Chief of the National Guard Bureau Other
The United States Naval Observatory falls under the Chief of Naval
Operations. In 2003 the National Communications System was moved to the
Department of Homeland Security, but only for executive purposes; it still
centralizes its activities within the Department of Defense, since the human
resources required by NCS still reside within the Department of Defense, or for
retention of practical maintenance. References
Further reading Vego, Milan. "Command and Control". In
Chambers, John W. & Anderson, Fred. The Oxford companion to American military
history. Oxford University Press. pp. 165–167. ISBN 978-0-19-507198-6.