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 National Security Act of 1947 was a law enacting major restructuring of the United States government's military and intelligence agencies following World War II. The majority of the provisions of the act took effect on September 18,1947,the day after the Senate confirmed James Forrestal as the first secretary of defense.
The Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) is the body of the most senior uniformed leaders within the United States Department of Defense,which advises the president of the United States,the secretary of defense,the Homeland Security Council and the National Security Council on military matters. The composition of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is defined by statute and consists of a chairman (CJCS),a vice chairman (VJCS),the chiefs of the Army,Marine Corps,Navy,Air Force,Space Force,and the chief of the National Guard Bureau. Each of the individual service chiefs,outside their JCS obligations,works directly under the secretaries of their respective military departments,e.g. the secretary of the Army,the secretary of the Navy,and the secretary of the Air Force.
James Gerard Roche is an American politician. He served as the 20th Secretary of the Air Force,serving from January 20,2001 to January 20,2005. Prior to serving as secretary,Roche served in the United States Navy for 23 years,and as an executive with Northrop Grumman.
Michael Luis Dominguez retired as the Principal Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness within the United States Department of Defense. He has held that position since his confirmation by the United States Senate on July 11,2006.
The Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) is a headquarters-level staff of the United States Department of Defense. It is the principal civilian staff element of the U.S. Secretary of Defense,and it assists the Secretary in carrying out authority,direction and control of the Department of Defense in the exercise of policy development,planning,resource management,fiscal,and program evaluation responsibilities. OSD is the Secretary of Defense's support staff for managing the Department of Defense,and it corresponds to what the Executive Office of the President of the U.S. is to the U.S. president for managing the whole of the Executive branch of the federal government.
The under secretary of defense for personnel and readiness,or USD (P&R) is a high-ranking civilian position in the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) within the United States Department of Defense responsible for advising the secretary and deputy secretary of defense on recruitment,career development,pay and benefits,and oversight of the state of military readiness. The under secretary is appointed from civilian life by the president and confirmed by the Senate to serve at the pleasure of the President.
Robert Burns Pirie Jr. is a retired United States Navy officer and politician. Early in 2001,Pirie served as Acting Secretary of the Navy until the nomination and confirmation of an appointee by President George W. Bush.
Rupert "Rudy" Frank de Leon Jr. is an American former senior Department of Defense official,military adviser,lobbyist,and foreign policy adviser. He served as the Deputy Secretary of Defense,described as the "second-highest civilian defense position",from March 31,2000 until March 16,2001,and before appointed as Deputy Secretary he had served as Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness from 1997 until 2000 and as Under Secretary of the Air Force from 1994 to 1997 in the administration of Bill Clinton.
Michael Bruce Donley is a United States government official who is the director of administration and management in the Office of the Secretary of Defense since May 2021,having served in the same position from 2005 to 2008. In the Bush and Obama administrations,Donley served as the 22nd secretary of the Air Force,amongst other positions. Donley has 30 years of experience in the national security community,including service on the staff of the United States Senate,White House and The Pentagon.
Bernard Daniel Rostker was Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy from 1977 to 1979;Director of the United States Selective Service System from 1979 to 1981;Assistant Secretary of the Navy from 1994 to 1998;Under Secretary of the Army from 1998 to 2000;and Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness in 2000–2001. From 1996 to 2001,he also served as Special Assistant to the Deputy Secretary of Defense for Gulf War Illnesses.
Kenneth Paul Bergquist Jr. was an American brigadier general. He served as the United States Assistant Secretary of the Navy from 1988 to 1989.
Matthew P. Donovan is a United States Air Force veteran and government official who served as the United States Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness from March 23,2020 to January 20,2021. He also served as United States Under Secretary of the Air Force from August 3,2017 to March 23,2020. He had simultaneously served as the Acting United States Secretary of the Air Force from June 1,2019 to October 18,2019. Donovan previously served as majority policy director for the United States Senate Committee on Armed Services. Donovan served 31 years in the U.S. Air Force,retiring as a colonel. His service included tours as commander of the U.S. Air Force Officer Training School and of the 95th Fighter Squadron.
Heidi Shyu is an American engineer who has served as the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering in the Biden administration since July 25,2021. She previously served as the United States Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition,Logistics,and Technology ASA(ALT) from 2012 to January 30,2016.
Major General Sharon K.G. Dunbar is a retired United States Air Force general officer. She was the first female in Air Force history to serve as Commanding General of the Air Force District of Washington (AFDW),the Air Force component to the Joint Force Headquarters National Capital Region,and Commander of the 320th Air Expeditionary Wing,both headquartered at Joint Base Andrews,Maryland. In this unique dual-command position,Dunbar oversaw Air Force operations in the National Capital Region with specific responsibilities for organizing,training and equipping combat forces for aerospace expeditionary operations as well as for continuity of government associated with homeland security response,disaster relief,civil support operations,and national special security events. She was likewise the senior Air Force officer responsible for the execution of major ceremonial events such as the 57th Presidential Inauguration in 2013. As the AFDW Commander,Dunbar provided major command-level support for 60,000 military and civilian personnel assigned worldwide and was the Uniform Code of Military Justice authority for 40,000 Airmen.
Deborah Roche Lee James served as the 23rd Secretary of the Air Force. She is the second woman,after Sheila Widnall,to ever hold this position.
Anthony Michael Kurta is a retired United States Navy Rear Admiral and government official. Having served as the Acting Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness for most of 2017,he was President Donald Trump's nominee to become Principal Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness. Kurta previously served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Military Personnel Policy and Director of Navy Flag Officer Management and Development.
Christine Elizabeth Wormuth is an American defense official and career civil servant who serves as the United States Secretary of the Army since 2021. Wormuth previously served as the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy from 2014 to 2016.
James N. Stewart is a retired American military officer and civil servant. Confirmed as Assistant Secretary of Defense for Manpower and Reserve Affairs in the administration of Donald Trump,he served throughout his tenure as acting Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness,before resigning the following year.
Michele A. Pearce is an American lawyer and former government official. She served as the Principal Deputy General Counsel (PDGC) of the Army from January 6,2020 to January 19,2021. As PDGC,Pearce was the first assistant to the General Counsel and the number two attorney in the Department of the Army. Her duties included providing legal and policy advice to the Secretary of the Army,the Secretariat,and other Army senior leaders.
