The United States Secretary of Defense (SecDef) is the head of the United States Department of Defense,the executive department of the U.S. Armed Forces,and is a high-ranking member of the federal cabinet. The secretary of defense's position of command and authority over the military is second only to that of the president of the United States,who is the commander-in-chief. This position corresponds to what is generally known as a defense minister in many other countries. The secretary of defense is appointed by the president with the advice and consent of the Senate,and is by custom a member of the Cabinet and by law a member of the National Security Council.
The Combat Action Ribbon (CAR) is a United States Navy,United States Coast Guard,and United States Marine Corps military decoration awarded to United States sea service members "who have actively participated in ground or surface combat." Coast Guardsmen,Navy sailors,and Marines active in clandestine,stealth or special operations are deemed eligible for consideration of the award. The ribbon is awarded to members of the Navy and Marine Corps with a rank no higher than captain and colonel,respectively.
William James Crowe Jr. was a United States Navy admiral and diplomat who served as the 11th chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff under Presidents Ronald Reagan and George H. W. Bush,and as the ambassador to the United Kingdom and Chair of the Intelligence Oversight Board under President Bill Clinton.
Vice Admiral Melvin Gene Williams Jr. is an American retired officer in the United States Navy. He is the former Commander,U.S. Second Fleet and former Director,Combined Joint Operations from the Sea Center of Excellence.
Margaret DeLuca "Peg" Klein is a former United States Navy officer who held the rank of rear admiral at the time of her retirement in March 2017. She currently serves as the dean of the College of Leadership and Ethics at the Naval War College.
Mark Howard Buzby is a retired United States Navy rear admiral who served as the Administrator of the United States Maritime Administration. He retired from the Navy in 2013 and joined Carnival Cruise Line's Safety &Reliability Review Board. Buzby was nominated to be MARAD Administrator in June 2017 by President Donald Trump,and confirmed to the position by the United States Senate on August 3,2017. He resigned from the post on January 11,2021,along with Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao,to protest the 2021 United States Capitol attack.
Jeffrey D. "J.D." Gordon is an American communications and foreign policy adviser,who served as a Pentagon spokesman during the George W. Bush Administration and later a national security adviser to Donald Trump. Gordon is a retired United States Navy officer who was a senior adviser to numerous prominent Republican political figures. Gordon has also been a television commentator and columnist with various media outlets including One America News Network,Fox News,Sky News,The Daily Caller,USA Today,The Hill,The Washington Times and others. Gordon founded Protect America Today,a national security–themed Super PAC in February 2012.
Robert Leon Wilkie Jr. is an American lawyer and government official who served as the United States Secretary of Veterans Affairs from 2018 to 2021,during the Trump administration. He was previously Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness during the Trump administration,from November 2017 to July 2018. A Naval intelligence officer in the Reserve,he was Assistant Secretary of Defense for Legislative Affairs in the administration of President George W. Bush.
Craig Michael Mullaney is a United States Army veteran and author of The Unforgiving Minute:A Soldier's Education.
Robert Alan McDonald served as the eighth United States Secretary of Veterans Affairs. He is the retired chairman,president,and CEO of Procter &Gamble. In 2014 he became Secretary of Veterans Affairs.
Senior Advisor to the President is a title used by high-ranking political advisors to the president of the United States. White House senior advisors are senior members of the White House Office. The title has been formally used since 1993.
Peter Brian Hegseth is an American television host and author.
Bonnie Denise Jenkins currently serves as the under secretary of state for arms control and international security affairs. During the Obama administration,she was the U.S. Department of State's coordinator for threat reduction programs in the Bureau of International Security and Nonproliferation.
John F. Kirby is a retired United States Navy rear admiral serving as White House National Security Communications Advisor since 2022. He previously served in the Biden administration as Pentagon Press Secretary and Assistant to the Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs from 2021 to 2022. He worked as a military and diplomatic analyst for CNN from 2017 to 2021. He served in the Obama administration as Pentagon Press Secretary from 2013 to 2015 and as the spokesperson for the United States Department of State and Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs from 2015 to 2017.
Joseph Keith Kellogg Jr. is a former United States government official and a retired lieutenant general in the United States Army. He previously served as the National Security Advisor to Vice President Mike Pence,and as the Executive Secretary and Chief of Staff of the United States National Security Council in the Trump administration. He served as National Security Advisor on an acting basis following the resignation of Michael T. Flynn.
Kenneth John Braithwaite II is an American politician,diplomat,businessman and naval officer who served as the 77th secretary of the Navy from May 29,2020,to January 20,2021,in the Donald Trump administration. Prior to that,he served as the U.S. ambassador to Norway,beginning February 8,2018. Braithwaite is a retired U.S. Navy one-star rear admiral,having served in the Iraq War.
Peter O'Rourke is an American government official. He served as the acting United States Secretary of Veterans Affairs and VA Chief of Staff under President Donald Trump. He previously worked in various positions in government consulting,including as a congressional staffer for U.S. Representative Tom Latham,and as an employee for CALIBRE Systems,and he also served as the executive director of the Republican Party of Florida.
Julia Nesheiwat is an American national security adviser who served as the 10th homeland security advisor in the Trump administration from 2020 to 2021. She also served in the Bush and Obama administrations.
Shawn Graham Skelly is a retired United States Navy officer,national security expert,and LGBT rights advocate who is serving as Assistant Secretary of Defense for Readiness. She is currently fulfilling the duties of the Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness since September 11,2023.
