Designated Senior Official

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Designated Civilian Official Gordon R. England and Senator Carl Levin tour Guantanamo. Gordon R. England, and Carl Levin tour Guantanamo.jpg
Designated Civilian Official Gordon R. England and Senator Carl Levin tour Guantanamo.

The Designated Senior Official (DSO), also referred to as the Senior Designated Official (SDO) or Designated Civilian Official (DCO), is an additional duty or responsibility assigned to officials within governments. The designation, often mandated in legislation, requires the official to take a direct role in a priority initiative, program, or project, ensuring that sufficient importance, support and oversight is provided.

Contents

The terminology, level of seniority, and reporting requirements varies depending on the context, the legislation, and the agency or department the individual represents.

Notable Examples of Designated Civilian Officials

Office for the Administrative Review of Detained Enemy Combatants

Gordon R. England, whose primary job was then to serve as United States Secretary of the Navy, was appointed to as the first Designated Civilian Official [1] for the Office for the Administrative Review of Detained Enemy Combatants (OARDEC). [1] [2] [3] The selection and appointment of a DCO for OARDEC was in accordance with the Graham-Levin Amendment [4] of the Detainee Treatment Act of 2005. The DCO position and OARDEC were officially created on June 23, 2004. Gordon R. England served as the OARDEC DCO from June 2004, until President Barack Obama replaced OARDEC with a multi-agency Guantanamo Review Joint Task Force.

During the June 23, 2004 press conference where he described his new position, England was asked about how he would handle the additional responsibilities of this position, and how independent he would be. [2] He repeated that his decisions would not be influenced by the Secretary of Defense, or other more senior officials. England said human rights groups, like the International Committee of the Red Cross, and other agencies of the United States Government, had been consulted in as the Review process was being designed. [2]

The Center for Constitution Rights published an analysis of the DCO's role on May 19, 2004. [5] "The entire review procedure is inadequate and illegal," stated Rachel Meeropol, an attorney at CCR. According to Michael Ratner:

...The DCO can order continued detention based on his or her opinion that the detainee 'remains a threat to the United States' or 'if there is any other reason that it is in the interest of the United States and its allies' for the detainee to remain in detention'.

Senior Civilian Official for Civilian Casualty Policy

David Trachtenburg, whose primary job was then to serve as Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Policy, was designated as the Senior Civilian Official for Civilian Casualty Policy.

The selection and appointment of a DCO for Civilian Casualty Policy was in accordance with Section 936 of the 2019 National Defense Authorization Act, [6] Responsibility For Policy On Civilian Casualty Matters. The duties of the position, according to the legislation, require the DCO to "develop, coordinate, and oversee compliance with the policy of the Department relating to civilian casualties resulting from United States military operations." [6] While the legislation required the designation of an official at the assistant secretary of defense level or higher, the designation of Mr. Trachtenburg by Department of Defense means that the position is filled by an official at a more senior level than required. [7]

Senior Designated Official for the Electromagnetic Spectrum Operations Cross Functional Team

John E. Hyten, the Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, was assigned as the Senior Designated Official for the Electromagnetic Spectrum Operations Cross Functional Team (EMSO CFT). [8] The appointment, pursuant to Section 1053 of the FY19 NDAA, requires the Vice Chairman to "oversee the cross-functional team...and serve as an ex-officio member of the Electronic Warfare Executive Committee." [9] The EMSO CFT, one of four Secretary of Defense-Empowered Cross-Functional Teams, was directed to "take bold action across the Department [of Defense] to regain US dominance in the Electromagnetic Spectrum." [8]

Other Examples

Canada

The Canadian government uses Senior Designated Officials for the management of projects and programmes. The Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat, in its Directive on the Management of Projects and Programmes lists the requirements and responsibilities for SDO within the secretariat. [10]

Related Research Articles

United States Secretary of the Army

The secretary of the Army is a senior civilian official within the United States Department of Defense, with statutory responsibility for all matters relating to the United States Army: manpower, personnel, reserve affairs, installations, environmental issues, weapons systems and equipment acquisition, communications and financial management.

Combatant Status Review Tribunal Tribunals of US detainees at Guantanamo Bay

The Combatant Status Review Tribunals (CSRT) were a set of tribunals for confirming whether detainees held by the United States at the Guantanamo Bay detention camp had been correctly designated as "enemy combatants". The CSRTs were established July 7, 2004 by order of U.S. Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz after U.S. Supreme Court rulings in Hamdi v. Rumsfeld and Rasul v. Bush and were coordinated through the Office for the Administrative Review of the Detention of Enemy Combatants.

Hajji Shahzada is a citizen of Afghanistan who was held in extrajudicial detention in the United States Guantanamo Bay detention camps, in Cuba. Shahzada's Guantanamo Internment Serial Number was 952. Joint Task Force Guantanamo counter-terrorism analysts estimate that Shahzada was born in 1959, in Belanday, Afghanistan.

Adel Noori is an Uyghur refugee best known for the more than seven years he was wrongly imprisoned in the Guantanamo Bay detention camps, in Cuba. His Guantanamo Internment Serial Number was 584. Joint Task Force Guantanamo counter-terrorism analysts report that he was born on November 12, 1979, in Xinjiang, China.

Muhammad Saad Iqbal Pakistani citizen (born 1977)

Muhammad Saad Iqbal is a Pakistani citizen who was held in extrajudicial detention in the United States Guantanamo Bay detention camps, in Cuba. Madni's Guantanamo Internment Serial Number was 743. The Department of Defense reports that he was born on October 17, 1977.

Shawali Khan is a citizen of Afghanistan, held in extrajudicial detention in the United States Guantanamo Bay detainment camps, in Cuba. His Guantanamo Internment Serial Number is 899. American intelligence analysts estimate he was born in 1963, in Kandahar, Afghanistan.

Abdallah Saleh Ali Al Ajmi was a Kuwaiti citizen, who was held in extrajudicial detention in the United States Guantanamo Bay detainment camps, in Cuba. His Guantanamo Internment Serial Number was 220. Joint Task Force Guantanamo counter-terrorism analysts reports indicated that he was born on 2 August 1978, in Almadi, Kuwait.

Abdul Rauf Aliza

Mullah Abdul Rauf Aliza, widely identified as Mullah Abdul Rauf Khadim, was a Taliban member held in extrajudicial detention in the United States Guantanamo Bay detention camp, in Cuba, until 20 December 2007. His Guantanamo Internment Serial Number was 108.

Ali Abdul Motalib Awayd Hassan Al Tayeea is a citizen of Iraq who was held in extrajudicial detention in the United States's Guantanamo Bay detention camps, in Cuba. His Guantanamo Internment Serial Number was 111. The Department of Defense reports that Al Tayeea was born in Baghdad, Iraq. The Department of Defense provided a birthday, or an estimated year of birth, for all but 22 of the 759 detainees. Al Tayeea is one of those 22. He was repatriated on January 17, 2009, after more than seven years without ever been charged.

Abib Sarajuddin is a citizen of Afghanistan, who was held in extrajudicial detention in the United States Guantanamo Bay detention camps, in Cuba. His Guantanamo Internment Serial Number was 458. Guantanamo intelligence analysts estimate that he was born in 1942.

Abdul Majid Muhammed is a citizen of Iran who was held in extrajudicial detention in the United States Guantanamo Bay detention camps, in Cuba.

Haji Ghalib Afghan Guantanamo Bay detainee

Haji Ghalib is a citizen of Afghanistan who was held in extrajudicial detention in the United States Guantanamo Bay detention camps, in Cuba. His Guantanamo Internment Serial Number was 987. Guantanamo counter-terrorism analysts estimate he was born in 1963, in Nangarhar, Afghanistan. Ghalib was repatriated on February 28, 2007.

An Internment Serial Number (ISN) is an identification number assigned to captives who come under control of the United States Department of Defense (DoD) during armed conflicts.

Initially the Bush Presidency asserted that they did not have to release any of the Guantanamo captive's documents. They asserted that no captive apprehended in Afghanistan was entitled to the protections of the Geneva Convention, and that those held in the Guantanamo Bay Naval Base were not protected by US law either, because it was not on US territory.

The Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Detainee Affairs (DASD-DA) is a political appointment created by United States President George W. Bush. The appointee has responsibility for captives apprehended during the "war on terror". The New York Times described one appointee as: "a primary adviser to Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld on detainee matters and his point man for dealing with foreign governments and international organizations on the issue."

Omar Said Salim Al Dayi

Omar Said Salim Al Dayi is held in extrajudicial detention in the United States Guantanamo Bay detention camps, in Cuba. His Guantanamo Internee Security Number is 549.

Aminullah Amin was held in extrajudicial detention in the United States Guantanamo Bay detention camps, in Cuba. His Guantanamo Internment Serial Number was 504.

Norullah Noori

Mullah Norullah Noori is a citizen of Afghanistan who spent more than 12 years in extrajudicial detention in the United States's Guantanamo Bay detention camps, in Cuba. His Guantanamo Internment Serial Number was 6. Noori was released from the detention camp on May 31, 2014, in a prisoner exchange that involved Bowe Bergdahl and the Taliban five, and flown to Qatar.

Secretary of Defense-Empowered Cross-Functional Teams are specialized organizations within the Department of Defense, authorized by Section 911 of the 2017 National Defense Authorization Act. The SECDEF CFTs are designed to help the Department improve mission effectiveness and efficiencies, improve business operations, and help the DoD address its most-pressing readiness and modernization activities.

References

PD-icon.svg This article incorporates  public domain material from websites or documents ofthe United States Government .

PD-icon.svg This article incorporates  public domain material from websites or documents ofthe United States Department of Defense .

  1. 1 2 Jacquelyn S. Porth (June 24, 2008). "Status of Detainees in Guantanamo to be Reviewed Annually". United States Department of State. Archived from the original on March 16, 2008. Retrieved 2008-03-26.
  2. 1 2 3 Gordon England (June 23, 2008). "Special Defense Department Briefing with Secretary of The Navy Gordon England". United States Department of Defense . Retrieved 2008-03-26.
  3. ↑ "Navy Secretary to Oversee Enemy Combatant Admin Review". United States Department of Defense. June 23, 2008. Retrieved 2008-03-26.
  4. ↑ https://www.scotusblog.com/archives/graham.levin.2dlevel.amendment.pdf
  5. ↑ Michael Ratner; Ellen Ray; Anthony Lewis (2004). "Guantanamo: What the World Should Know". Chelsea Green Publishing. pp. 58, 157–158. ISBN   9781931498647 . Retrieved 2012-09-03.
  6. 1 2 https://www.congress.gov/115/bills/hr5515/BILLS-115hr5515enr.pdf
  7. ↑ Daniel R. Mahanty and Rita Siemion. "The Pentagon Put Someone in Charge of Its Civilian Casualty Policy. Now What?". Just Security (November 14, 2018) url: https://www.justsecurity.org/61472/pentagon-puts-charge-civilian-casualty-policy-what/
  8. 1 2 Secretary of Defense Memorandum. Establishment of the Electromagnetic Spectrum Operations Cross Functional Team. (Feb. 2, 2019)
  9. ↑ "H.R. 5515 – All Actions" (PDF).|publisher=United States Congress
  10. ↑ https://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/pol/doc-eng.aspx?id=32594&section=html
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