Joint Chiefs of Staff

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Joint Chiefs of Staff
JCS
Joint Chiefs of Staff seal (2).svg
Joint Chiefs of Staff Identification Badge
RoleAdvisory board providing professional military advice to the secretary of defense and the president
Established in practice1942
Constituting instrument National Security Act of 1947
currently codified at
10 U.S.C.   § 151
Predecessor entitiesJoint Board
(1903–1942)
Members
Chairman Gen Charles Q. Brown Jr., USAF
Vice Chairman ADM Christopher W. Grady, USN
Number of membersEight
Administration
Parent agency U.S. Department of Defense
Staff organizationThe Joint Staff (for the chairman and the vice chairman; the service chiefs and the National Guard Bureau chief have their own staffs assisting them)
Seat The Pentagon

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. [1] [2] 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. [3] [4] [5] [6]

Contents

Following the Goldwater–Nichols Act in 1986, the Joint Chiefs of Staff do not have operational command authority, either individually or collectively, as the chain of command goes from the president to the secretary of defense, and from the secretary to the regional combatant commanders. [7] Goldwater–Nichols also created the office of vice chairman, and the chairman is now designated as the principal military adviser to the secretary of defense, the Homeland Security Council, the National Security Council and the president. [8]

The Joint Staff (JS) is a headquarters staff in the Pentagon, composed of personnel from each of the six service branches, that assists the chairman and the vice chairman in discharging their responsibilities and is managed by the director of the Joint Staff (DJS). [9]

Role and responsibilities

The Joint Chiefs of Staff in March 2022. Group photo of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, 2022 220505-D-TT977-0100.jpg
The Joint Chiefs of Staff in March 2022.

After the 1986 reorganization of the Armed Forces undertaken by the Goldwater–Nichols Act, the Joint Chiefs of Staff does not possess operational authority over troops or other units. Responsibility for conducting military operations goes from the president to the secretary of defense directly to the commanders of the unified combatant commands and thus bypasses the Joint Chiefs of Staff completely.

Today, their primary responsibility is to ensure personnel readiness, policy, planning and training of their respective services for the combatant commanders to utilize. In addition, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff acts as the chief military advisor to the president and the secretary of defense. In this strictly advisory role, the Joint Chiefs constitute the third-highest deliberative body for military policy, after the National Security Council and the Homeland Security Council, which includes the president and other officials besides the chairman of the Joint Chiefs.

While serving as the chairman or vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, chief of staff of the Army, commandant of the Marine Corps, Chief of Naval Operations, chief of staff of the Air Force, or commandant of the Coast Guard, the salary is $15,583.20 a month, [10] regardless of cumulative years of service completed under section 205 of title 37, United States Code.

Current members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff

PositionPhotographNameServiceServing sinceNominated byFlag
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
CJCS Brown.jpg
General
Charles Q. Brown Jr.
Flag of the United States Air Force.svg  United States Air Force 1 October 2023 Joseph R. Biden Flag of the Chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff.svg
Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
ADM Christopher W. Grady (2).jpg
Admiral
Christopher W. Grady
Flag of the United States Navy (official).svg  United States Navy 20 December 2021 Joseph R. Biden Flag of the Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.svg
Chief of Staff of the Army
GEN Randy A. George (2).jpg
General
Randy A. George
Flag of the United States Army.svg  United States Army 21 September 2023 Joseph R. Biden Flag of the Chief of Staff of the United States Army.svg
Commandant of the Marine Corps
Gen Smith Official Photo V1.jpg
General
Eric M. Smith
Flag of the United States Marine Corps.svg  United States Marine Corps 22 September 2023 Joseph R. Biden Flag of the Commandant of the United States Marine Corps.svg
Chief of Naval Operations
ADM Lisa M. Franchetti (3).jpg
Admiral
Lisa M. Franchetti
Flag of the United States Navy (official).svg  United States Navy 2 November 2023 Joseph R. Biden Flag of the United States Chief of Naval Operations.svg
Chief of Staff of the Air Force
Gen David W. Allvin (3).jpg
General
David W. Allvin
Flag of the United States Air Force.svg  United States Air Force 2 November 2023 Joseph R. Biden Flag of the Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force.svg
Chief of Space Operations
Gen B. Chance Saltzman.jpg
General
B. Chance Saltzman
Flag of the United States Space Force.svg  United States Space Force 2 November 2022 Joseph R. Biden Flag of the Chief of Space Operations.svg
Chief of the National Guard Bureau
GEN Daniel R. Hokanson.jpg
General
Daniel R. Hokanson
Flag of the United States Army.svg  United States Army 3 August 2020 Donald J. Trump Flag of the National Guard Bureau.svg

Non-member attendee

PositionPhotographNameServiceServing sinceNominated byFlag
Commandant of the Coast Guard
Admiral Linda L. Fagan, Coast Guard Vice Commandant.jpg
Admiral
Linda L. Fagan
Flag of the United States Coast Guard.svg  United States Coast Guard 1 June 2022 Joseph R. Biden Flag of the Commandant of the United States Coast Guard.svg

Although it is a branch of the Armed Forces pursuant to 14 U.S.C.   § 101, the Coast Guard operates under the Department of Homeland Security rather than the Department of Defense, except when the president (e.g., in times of war or national emergency) transfers it to the Department of the Navy. [11] The commandant of the Coast Guard is not a de jure member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff but is sometimes regarded as a de facto member, being entitled to the same supplemental pay as the Joint Chiefs, [12] and occasionally will attend meetings of the JCS by invitation. [13] Unlike the Joint Chiefs, who are not actually in the military's operational chain of command, the commandant is both the administrative and the operational commander of the Coast Guard.

History

Joint Board

United States Secretary of Defense Harold Brown and United States Deputy Secretary of Defense Charles W. Duncan Jr with Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General George S. Brown and the other members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff at the Pentagon in 1977 Secretary of Defense Harold Brown with the Joint Chiefs of Staff member at the Pentagon.jpg
United States Secretary of Defense Harold Brown and United States Deputy Secretary of Defense Charles W. Duncan Jr with Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General George S. Brown and the other members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff at the Pentagon in 1977

As the U.S. military grew in size following the American Civil War, joint military action between the Army and Navy became increasingly difficult. The Army and Navy were unsupportive of each other at either the planning or operational level and were constrained by disagreements during the Spanish–American War in the Caribbean campaigns. [14] [15] The Joint Army and Navy Board was established in 1903 by President Theodore Roosevelt, comprising representatives from the military heads and chief planners of both the Navy's General Board and the Army's General Staff. The Joint Board acting as an "advisory committee" was created to plan joint operations and resolve problems of common rivalry between the two services. [14] [15]

Yet the Joint Board accomplished little since its charter gave it no authority to enforce its decisions. The Joint Board also lacked the ability to originate its own opinions and was thus limited to commenting only on the problems submitted to it by the secretaries of war and Navy. As a result, the Joint Board had little to no impact on the manner in which the United States conducted World War I.

After World War I, the two secretaries agreed in 1919 to reestablish and revitalize the Joint Board. The mission of the General Staff was to develop plans for mobilization for the next war. In these, the U.S. was always designated "blue" and potential enemies were assigned various other colors. [16]

Now, the Joint Board's membership was to include the chiefs of staff, their deputies, and the chief of war plans division for the Army and the director of plans division for the Navy. Under the Joint Board was to be a staff called the Joint Planning Committee to serve the board. Along with new membership, the Joint Board could initiate recommendations on its own initiative. However, the Joint Board still did not possess the legal authority to enforce its decisions.

World War II

Joint Chiefs of Staff meeting (circa 1943). From left to right are: Gen. Henry H. Arnold, Chief of the Army Air Forces; Adm. William D. Leahy, Chief of Staff to the Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy; Adm. Ernest J. King, Commander in Chief, U.S. Fleet and Chief of Naval Operations; and Gen. George C. Marshall, Chief of Staff of the United States Army. World War II Joint Chiefs of Staff 1943.jpg
Joint Chiefs of Staff meeting (circa 1943). From left to right are: Gen. Henry H. Arnold, Chief of the Army Air Forces; Adm. William D. Leahy, Chief of Staff to the Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy; Adm. Ernest J. King, Commander in Chief, U.S. Fleet and Chief of Naval Operations; and Gen. George C. Marshall, Chief of Staff of the United States Army.

U.S. president Franklin D. Roosevelt and British prime minister Winston Churchill established the Combined Chiefs of Staff (CCS) during the 1942 Arcadia Conference. [17] The CCS would serve as the supreme military body for strategic direction of the joint U.S.–UK war effort.

The UK portion of the CCS would be composed of the British Chiefs of Staff Committee, but the United States had no equivalent body. The Joint Board's lack of authority made it of little use to the CCS, although its 1935 publication, Joint Action of the Army and Navy, did give some guidance for the joint operations during World War II. The Joint Board had little influence during the war and was ultimately disbanded in 1947.

As a counterpart to the UK's Chiefs of Staff Committee in the CCS, and to provide better-coordinated effort and coordinated staff work for America's military effort, Admiral William D. Leahy proposed a "unified high command" in what would come to be called the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Modeled on the British Chiefs of Staff Committee, the JCS' first formal meeting was held on 9 February 1942, to coordinate operations between War and Navy Departments. [17] [18] The official history of the Army Air Forces noted that although there was "no official charter establishing this committee...by the end of February it had assumed responsibilities toward the American war effort comparable to the CCS on the combined level." [19] On 20 July 1942, Admiral Leahy became the "Chief of Staff to the Commander in Chief", with all individual service chiefs operating under his authority.

The first members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff were: [20]

NameServicePosition
Admiral William D. Leahy USN Chief of Staff to the Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy and
Special Presidential Military Advisor
General George C. Marshall USA Chief of Staff of the United States Army (CSUSA)
Admiral Ernest J. King USN Commander in Chief of the United States Fleet and
Chief of Naval Operations (COMINCH-CNO)
General Henry H. 'Hap' Arnold USA Chief of the Army Air Forces and Deputy Chief of Staff for Air
The Joint Chiefs of Staff in 1959. From left to right: Gen. Lyman L. Lemnitzer, USA; Adm. Arleigh A. Burke, USN; Gen. Nathan F. Twining, USAF (chairman); Gen. Thomas Dresser White, USAF; and Gen. Randolph M. Pate, USMC The Joint Chiefs of Staff in 1959.jpg
The Joint Chiefs of Staff in 1959. From left to right: Gen. Lyman L. Lemnitzer, USA; Adm. Arleigh A. Burke, USN; Gen. Nathan F. Twining, USAF (chairman); Gen. Thomas Dresser White, USAF; and Gen. Randolph M. Pate, USMC
The Joint Chiefs of Staff in an annual meeting with the commanders of unified and specified command in the JCS meeting room, also known as "The Tank" on 15 January 1981. Chairman of The Joint Chiefs of Staff General David C. Jones lead briefing at The Pentagon.jpg
The Joint Chiefs of Staff in an annual meeting with the commanders of unified and specified command in the JCS meeting room, also known as "The Tank" on 15 January 1981.

Each of the members of the original Joint Chiefs was a four-star flag or general officer in his service branch. By the end of the war each had been promoted: Leahy and King to fleet admiral; Marshall and Arnold to general of the Army. Arnold was later appointed to the grade of general of the Air Force.

One of the Joint Chiefs of Staff's committees was the Joint Strategic Survey Committee (JSSC). The JSSC, "one of the most influential planning agencies in the wartime armed forces", was an extraordinary JCS committee that existed from 1942 until 1947. [21] Members included Lieutenant General Stanley D. Embick, U.S. Army, chairman, 1942–1946, Vice Admiral Russell Willson, U.S. Navy, 1942–1945, Vice Admiral Theodore Stark Wilkinson, U.S. Navy, 1946, and Major General Muir S. Fairchild, U.S. Army Air Force, 1942–?.

National Security Act of 1947

With the end of World War II, the Joint Chiefs of Staff was officially established under the National Security Act of 1947. Per the National Security Act, the JCS consisted of a chairman, the chief of staff of the Army, the chief of staff of the Air Force (which was established as a separate service by the same Act), and the chief of naval operations. The commandant of the Marine Corps was to be consulted on matters concerning the Corps, but was not a regular member; General Lemuel C. Shepherd, Jr., Commandant in 1952–55, was the first to sit as an occasional member. The law was amended during the term of General Louis H. Wilson, Jr. (1975–79), making the commandant a full-time JCS member in parity with the other three DoD services.

The position of vice chairman was created by the Goldwater–Nichols Act of 1986 to complement the CJCS, as well as to delegate some of the chairman's responsibilities, particularly resource allocation through the Joint Requirements Oversight Council (JROC).

General Colin L. Powell (Chairman, 1989–1993) was the first African American to serve on the Joint Chiefs of Staff when he became the 12th Chairman of the JCS in 1989. General Charles Q. Brown Jr. was the first African American appointed to lead a service branch when he became the Chief of Staff of the Air Force in 2020. On May 25, 2023, President Joe Biden nominated General Brown to become the 21st Chairman of the JCS. General Brown was subsequently confirmed and took up the post of chairman on October 1, 2023. General Richard B. Myers (Chairman, 2001–2005) was the first vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff to serve as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. General Peter Pace (Vice Chairman 2001–2005; Chairman, 2005–2007) was the first Marine to serve in either position. Admiral Lisa Franchetti became the first woman to serve on the JCS when she took over as Chief of Naval Operations on November 2, 2023.

National Defense Authorization Act of 2012

A provision in the 2012 National Defense Authorization Act added the Chief of the National Guard Bureau to the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Guard historians called it the "most significant development" for the National Guard since the Militia Act of 1903. [1]

National Defense Authorization Act of 2020

The 2020 National Defense Authorization Act established the U.S. Space Force on 20 December 2019. The Space Force is headed by the chief of space operations, who reports directly to the secretary of the Air Force. Pursuant to 10 U.S.C.   § 9082, the chief of space operations became a statutory member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff on 20 December 2020. [22]

Organization and leadership positions

Chairman

The Joint Chiefs of Staff in 2001 Defense.gov News Photo 011214-D-2842B-001.jpg
The Joint Chiefs of Staff in 2001

The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is, by law, the highest-ranking military officer of the United States Armed Forces, [23] and the principal military adviser to the president of the United States. He leads the meetings and coordinates the efforts of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, comprising the chairman, the vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the chief of staff of the United States Army, the commandant of the United States Marine Corps, the chief of naval operations, the chief of staff of the United States Air Force, the Chief of Space Operations (statutory member after December 2020), and the chief of the National Guard Bureau. The Joint Chiefs of Staff have offices in the Pentagon. The chairman outranks all service chiefs, [24] but does not maintain authority over them, their branches or the Unified Combatant Commands. [24] All combatant commanders receive their orders directly from the secretary of defense. [25]

On 20 July 1942, Fleet Admiral William D. Leahy became Chief of Staff to the Commander in Chief (20 July 1942 – 21 March 1949). He was not technically the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Leahy's office was the precursor to the post of "Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff". That post was established and first held by General of the Army Omar Bradley in 1949.

The current and 21st chairman is General Charles Q. Brown Jr., who began his tenure on 29 September 2023.

Vice Chairman

The position of Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff was created by the Goldwater–Nichols Act of 1986. The vice chairman is a four-star-general or admiral and, by law, is the second highest-ranking member of the U.S. Armed Forces (after the chairman). In the absence of the chairman, the vice chairman presides over the meetings of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He may also perform such duties as the chairman may prescribe. It was not until the National Defense Authorization Act in 1992 that the position was made a full voting member of the JCS. [26]

The current vice chairman is Admiral Christopher W. Grady, who began his tenure on 20 December 2021.

Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman

The senior enlisted advisor to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (SEAC) advises on all matters concerning joint and combined total force integration, utilization, development, and helps develop noncommissioned officers related joint professional education, enhance utilization of senior NCOs on joint battle staffs, and support the chairman's responsibilities as directed.

Command Sergeant Major William Gainey, was the first SEAC, serving from 1 October 2005. The current SEAC is Troy E. Black, who was sworn in by General Charles Q. Brown Jr., chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, on 3 November 2023, replacing SEAC Ramón Colón-López.

Joint Staff

Joint Staff
Joint Chiefs of Staff seal (2).svg
Agency overview
Formed1949
Headquarters The Pentagon
EmployeesApprox. 1,500
Agency executive
Parent agency Department of Defense
The Joint Staff Organization Chart as of March 2018 JSOrg2018v2.png
The Joint Staff Organization Chart as of March 2018
Members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff during a press conference at The Pentagon with Secretary of Defense. From left to right are Army Vice Chief of Staff General Richard A. Cody, Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Vern Clark, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, U.S. Air Force General Richard B. Myers, U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, Air Force Chief of Staff General John P. Jumper and Commandant of the Marine Corps General Michael Hagee. In the absence of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff or the Service Chief, the Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Vice Service Chief will replace its presence at an important event. US Navy 050512-N-2383B-007 The Military's top leaders address the media during a press conference held at the Pentagon.jpg
Members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff during a press conference at The Pentagon with Secretary of Defense. From left to right are Army Vice Chief of Staff General Richard A. Cody, Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Vern Clark, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, U.S. Air Force General Richard B. Myers, U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, Air Force Chief of Staff General John P. Jumper and Commandant of the Marine Corps General Michael Hagee. In the absence of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff or the Service Chief, the Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Vice Service Chief will replace its presence at an important event.
Members of The Joint Chiefs of Staff with U.S. Secretary of Defense in 1973. Melvin R. Laird meets with the Joint Chiefs of Staff in his Pentagon office.jpg
Members of The Joint Chiefs of Staff with U.S. Secretary of Defense in 1973.
The Joint Chiefs of Staff (seated) and the directors of the Joint Staff directorates (standing), November 1989. US Joint Chiefs of Staff Nov 1989.jpg
The Joint Chiefs of Staff (seated) and the directors of the Joint Staff directorates (standing), November 1989.

The Joint Staff (JS) [27] [28] is a military headquarters staff based at The Pentagon (with offices in Hampton Roads, Virginia; Fort Leavenworth, Kansas; Lackland Air Force Base, Texas; Fort Belvoir, Virginia; Fairchild Air Force Base, Washington and Fort McNair, District of Columbia) composed of personnel from all the six armed services, assisting the chairman and the vice chairman in discharging their responsibilities. They work closely with the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD), the military department staffs, and the Combatant Command staffs.

The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (CJCS) is assisted by the director of the Joint Staff (DJS), a three-star officer who assists the chairman with the management of the Joint Staff, an organization composed of approximately equal numbers of officers contributed by the Army, the Navy and Marine Corps, the Air Force, the Space Force, and the Coast Guard, who have been assigned to assist the chairman in providing to the secretary of defense unified strategic direction, operation, and integration of the combatant land, naval, space, and air forces. The director is assisted by the vice director of the Joint Staff, a two-star officer.

Former Secretary of Defense Mark Esper tasked the Joint Staff with developing a Joint Warfighting Concept [JadConcept 1] for the services by December 2020. [29] Developing Joint all-domain command and control (JADC2) as a concept [JadConcept 1] is a key goal of the 20th CJCS. [29] An OSD/Joint Staff Cross-Functional Team for JADC2 is underway. [30] [31] Esper ordered the four services and the Joint Staff to create a new joint warfighting concept for All-domain operations, operating simultaneously in the air, land, sea, space, cyber, and the electromagnetic spectrum (EMS). [32] The Joint Chiefs and Combatant Commanders witnessed demonstrations of the concept in September 2020. [33]

Organization

The Joint Staff includes the following departments where all the planning, policies, intelligence, manpower, communications and logistics functions are translated into action. [34]

Directorates of the Joint Staff

The Joint Staff includes the following departments where all the planning, policies, intelligence, manpower, communications and logistics functions are translated into action. [34]

Joint Chiefs of Staff: Civilian awards

The Joint Chiefs may recognize private citizens, organizations or career civilian government employees for significant achievements provided to the joint community with one of the following decorations/awards. [39]

Coast Guard

Although, as discussed above, the commandant of the Coast Guard is not an ex officio member of the JCS like the other service chiefs, Coast Guard officers are legally eligible to be appointed as Chairman and Vice Chairman, pursuant to 10 U.S.C.   § 152(a)(1) and 10 U.S.C.   § 154(a)(1) respectively, which use the collective term "armed forces" rather than listing the eligible services, as well as to other positions on the Joint Staff. As of 2020, no Coast Guard officer has been appointed Chairman or Vice Chairman, but Coast Guard officers routinely serve on the JCS staff, including one vice admiral who was appointed to serve as J6 in 2016.

See also

Notes

    1. 1 2 JADC2 as a concept— Like the Integrated Tactical Network, instances of a concept can exist before acquisition— see PEO C3T (2018) Integrated Tactical Network

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    The United States Department of Defense is an executive branch department of the federal government of the United States charged with coordinating and supervising all agencies and functions of the U.S. government directly related to national security and the United States Armed Forces. As of June 2022, the U.S. Department of Defense is the largest employer in the world, with over 1.34 million active-duty service members, including soldiers, marines, sailors, airmen, and guardians. The Department of Defense also maintains over 778,000 National Guard and reservists, and over 747,000 civilians bringing the total to over 2.87 million employees. Headquartered at the Pentagon in Arlington County, Virginia, just outside Washington, D.C., the Department of Defense's stated mission is to provide "the military forces needed to deter war and ensure our nation's security".

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman</span> Senior enlisted advisor to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff

    The senior enlisted advisor to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (SEAC) is the most senior non-commissioned officer (NCO) position overall in the United States Armed Forces. The SEAC is appointed by the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff to serve as a spokesperson to address the issues of enlisted personnel to the highest positions in the Department of Defense. As such, the SEAC is the primary enlisted advisor to the chairman, and serves at the pleasure of the secretary of defense. The SEAC's exact duties vary, depending on the chairman, though the SEAC generally devotes much of their time traveling throughout the Department of Defense, to observe training and communicating to service members and their families. The SEAC's normal term of assignment runs concurrently with the chairman, but an incumbent may be reappointed to serve longer. The first member to hold this post was William Gainey. The current SEAC is Troy E. Black, USMC who assumed the duties on 3 November 2023.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Organizational structure of the United States Department of Defense</span>

    The United States Department of Defense (DoD) has a complex organizational structure. It includes the Army, Navy, the Marine Corps, Air Force, Space Force, 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$496.1 billion in 2015. This figure is the base amount and does not include the $64.3 billion spent on "War/Non-War Supplementals". Including those items brings the total to $560.6 billion for 2015.

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    Further reading

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