Assistant Secretary of Defense for Acquisition

Assistant Secretary of Defense for Acquisition
Emblem of the assistant secretary of defense for sustainment
Flag of an assistant secretary of defense
Incumbent James A. Ruocco (acting) [1] since 22 January 2025
Office of the Secretary of Defense
Reports to	Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment Deputy Secretary of Defense Secretary of Defense
Appointer	The president with the advice and consent of the Senate
Term length	No fixed term
Formation	1 October 2011
Succession	16th in SecDef succession
Deputy	John M. Tenaglia
Salary	Level IV of the Executive Schedule
Website	www.acq.osd.mil/asda

The assistant secretary of defense for acquisition, or ASD (A), is one of three assistant secretaries reporting to the under secretary of defense for acquisition and sustainment. ^[2] The position is the principal advisor to the under secretary of defense for acquisition and sustainment, the deputy secretary of defense, and the secretary of defense on matters relating to acquisition program management; the Department of Defense Acquisition System; and the development of strategic, space, intelligence, tactical warfare, command and control, and business systems. ^[3]

Roles and responsibilities

The assistant secretary of defense for acquisition's priority, is to deliver a Defense Acquisition System that is flexible, tailorable, and enables speed, and is able to deliver capability at the point of need. Currently, the office is focused on transitioning from an acquisition system that is expensive, slow, and burdensome towards one involving reduced timelines, lower costs, and improved quality. ^[2]

Organization

The assistant secretary of defense for acquisition has the following people reporting to them: ^[4]

• Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Acquisition
• Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Acquisition Enablers
• Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Strategic, Space, and Intelligence Portfolio Management
• Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Platform and Weapon Portfolio Management
• Executive Director, Joint Rapid Acquisition Cell
• Principal Director, Defense Pricing and Contracting
• President, Defense Acquisition University
• Director, Defense Contract Management Agency

Officeholders

No.	Assistant Secretary [5]		Term			SecDef(s) served under	President(s) served under	Ref(s)
	Portrait	Name	Took office	Left office	Term length
–		Katrina G. McFarland Acting	1 October 2011	24 May 2012	236 days	Leon Panetta	Barack Obama	[6]
1		Katrina G. McFarland	24 May 2012	20 January 2017	4 years, 241 days	Leon Panetta Chuck Hagel Ash Carter	Barack Obama	[6]
–		Dyke D. Weatherington Acting	20 January 2017	14 December 2017	328 days	Jim Mattis	Donald Trump
–		James A. MacStravic Acting	14 December 2017	18 February 2018	66 days	Jim Mattis	Donald Trump
2		Kevin M. Fahey	18 February 2018	20 January 2021	2 years, 337 days	Jim Mattis Mark Esper	Donald Trump	[7]
–		Dyke D. Weatherington Acting	20 January 2021	30 June 2021	161 days	Lloyd Austin	Joe Biden	[3] [8]
–		Christopher C. O'Donnell Acting	1 July 2021	3 March 2022	245 days	Lloyd Austin	Joe Biden	[9]
–		Tanya M. Skeen Acting	3 March 2022	15 August 2023	1 year, 165 days	Lloyd Austin	Joe Biden	[10] [11]
–		Gary A. Ashworth Acting	15 August 2023	5 March 2024	203 days	Lloyd Austin	Joe Biden	[12] [13]
3		Cara L. Abercrombie	5 March 2024	29 May 2024	85 days	Lloyd Austin	Joe Biden	[14]
–		Gary A. Ashworth Acting	29 May 2024	20 January 2025	236 days	Lloyd Austin	Joe Biden	-
–		Brent G. Ingraham Acting	20 January 2025	22 January 2025	2 days	Robert G. Salesses (acting)	Donald Trump	[15]
–		James A. Ruocco Acting	22 January 2025		217 days	Pete Hegseth	Donald Trump	-

Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary

No.	Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary		Term			SecDef(s) served under	President(s) served under	Ref(s)
	Portrait	Name	Took office	Left office	Term length
1		Stacy A. Cummings	March 2019	20 January 2021	~1 year, 311 days	Mark Esper	Donald Trump	[16]
–		Christopher C. O'Donnell Acting	20 January 2021	30 June 2021	161 days	Lloyd Austin	Joe Biden
–		John M. Tenaglia Acting	1 July 2021	3 March 2022	245 days	Lloyd Austin	Joe Biden	[9]
–		Christopher C. O'Donnell Acting	3 March 2022	15 August 2023	1 year, 165 days	Lloyd Austin	Joe Biden
–		John M. Tenaglia Acting	15 August 2023	5 March 2024	203 days	Lloyd Austin	Joe Biden	[17]
2		Gary A. Ashworth	5 March 2024	29 May 2024	85 days	Lloyd Austin	Joe Biden	[18]
–		John M. Tenaglia Acting	29 May 2024	Incumbent	1 year, 90 days	Lloyd Austin Pete Hegseth	Joe Biden Donald Trump	[9]

References

1. https://www.acq.osd.mil/asda/asda-leaders.html ^{[ bare URL ]}
2. "Assistant Secretary of Defense for Acquisition - OUSD A&S" . Retrieved 14 February 2021.
3. "Dyke D. Weatherington" . Retrieved 14 February 2021.
4. "ASD(A) Organization Chart" . Retrieved 15 February 2021.
5. "Department of Defense Key Officials September 1947–March 2022" (PDF). Historical Office of the Office of the Secretary of Defense.
6. "Katrina G. McFarland, assitant [sic] secretary of defense (acquisition)". 6 May 2015. Retrieved 15 February 2021.
7. "Kevin M. Fahey – Senate Armed Service Committee – Confirmation Hearing-Nominee to be Assistant Secretary of Defense for Acquisition" (PDF). Retrieved 15 February 2021.
8. "Memorandum for Senior Pentagon Leadership Defense Agency and DOD Field Activity Directors" (PDF). 19 January 2021. p. 2. Retrieved 15 February 2021.
9. "OUSD A&S Leadership". www.acq.osd.mil. Retrieved 4 August 2021.
10. "OUSD A&S Leadership".
11. https://www.linkedin.com/company/asd-acquisition/ ^{[ self-published source ]}
12. "OUSD A&S - Assistant Secretary of Defense (Acquisition)".
13. https://www.linkedin.com/posts/ousd-as_acquisition-and-sustainment-leadership-transition-activity-7171189646884757505-sF4d ^{[ bare URL ]}
14. "OUSD A&S - Assistant Secretary of Defense (Acquisition)".
15. https://www.acq.osd.mil/asda/leadership/brent-ingraham.html ^{[ bare URL ]}
16. "Cummings to serve as acting Pentagon acquisition head". DefenseNews. 13 January 2021. Retrieved 15 February 2021.
17. "OUSD A&S Leadership".
18. "OUSD A&S - Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense (Acquisition)".