The United States secretary of defense (SecDef) is the head of the United States Department of Defense (DoD),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 president appoints the secretary of defense 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 secretary of the Navy (SECNAV) is a statutory officer and the head of the Department of the Navy,a military department within the United States Department 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.
Charles Elliott Wilhelm is a decorated retired United States Marine Corps General who served two combat tours of duty in Vietnam. He later served as Commanding General of the 1st Marine Division;as a Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense;and as the Commander,U.S. Southern Command (1997–2000). General Wilhelm retired from the Marine Corps in 2000,after 37 years of service.
The Defense Media Activity (DMA) is a United States Department of Defense (DoD) field activity. It provides a range of media and services to that aim to "inform,educate,and entertain Department of Defense audiences around the world." The Defense Media Activity is located on Fort Meade,Maryland. DoD field activities are established as DoD components by law,by the President,or by the Secretary of Defense to provide for the performance,on a DoD-wide basis,of a supply or service activity that is common to more than one Military Department when it is determined to be more effective,economical,or efficient to do so. DMA operates as a separate DoD Component under the authority,direction and control of the Assistant to the Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs.
The Assistant Secretary of the Air Force (SAF/AQ) is a civilian position in the Department of the Air Force that is appointed by the president of the United States and confirmed by the United States Senate. This position is established under Title 10 US Code Section 9016 and is one of five Assistant Secretary positions under the Secretary of the Air Force. The Assistant Secretary reports to the Secretary of the Air Force.
The Office of the United States Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition,Logistics,and Technology (ASA(ALT) pronounced A-salt) is known as OASA(ALT). OASA(ALT) serves,when delegated,as the Army Acquisition Executive,the Senior Procurement Executive,the Science Advisor to the Secretary of the Army,and as the senior research and development official for the Department of the Army. The OASA(ALT) also has the principal responsibility for all Department of the Army matters related to logistics.
John Jacob Young Jr. was United States Assistant Secretary of the Navy from 2001 to 2005 and Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition,Technology and Logistics from 2007 to 2009. He is the founder and principal of JY Strategies,LLC.
Delores Maria Etter is a former United States Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Science and Technology from 1998 to 2001 and former Assistant Secretary of the Navy for research,science,and technology from 2005 to 2007.
The Military Secretary to the Commandant of the Marine Corps is the senior advisor and task manager for the Commandant of the Marine Corps. Personally selected by the Commandant,the Military Secretary is an active duty colonel who reports directly to the Commandant. The exact duties of the Military Secretary have varied based on the needs and preferences of each Commandant. There are no existing manuals or orders that dictate the exact role of the Military Secretary. They run the day-to-day operations of the Office of the Commandant,supervises the schedule of the Commandant,and performs other duties as the Commandant may direct. In order to perform the multi-faceted duties of the Military Secretary,the Marine must be well versed in all aspects of the United States Marine Corps,the United States Department of Defense,and the United States Government.
Malcolm Ross O'Neill was the United States Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition,Logistics,and Technology,having been sworn into office by United States Under Secretary of the Army Joseph W. Westphal on March 10,2010,and resigned June 3,2011.
The U.S. Army Acquisition Support Center (USAASC) is part of the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition,Logistics,and Technology. USAASC is headquartered at Fort Belvoir,Va.
David Folk Baucom is a retired United States Navy Rear Admiral. Among Baucom's military roles were White House military aide to the president,director of the US Central Command Deployment and Distribution Operations Center in Kuwait,commander of Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support,commander of Fleet &Industrial Supply Center in Norfolk,Virginia,and strategy and policy director of the US Transportation Command. Baucom is currently senior director at Vintun LLC.
The United States Army Acquisition Corps (AAC) is the officer / NCO corps of the United States Army Acquisition Workforce (AAW),a branch which includes civilians,officers,and NCOs. The Acquisition Corps is composed of army officers who serve in acquisition,a specialized form of product development,fielding,and support and Noncommissioned Officers who specialize in Contracting,Level I Program Management and Purchasing. These officers begin their careers in the other branches of the army for eight years,after which they may elect the Acquisition branch as their career as assistant program managers (APMs),program managers (PMs),and program executive officers (PEOs). The Noncommissioned Officers (NCOs) are reclassified in the Army Acquisition NCO Corps after serving 7-10 years in their respective enlisted career management fields,and serve primarily in the Army Acquisition Career Management Field - 51 and (MOS) 51C. 4% percentage of the Army Acquisition Officers serve among the 40,000 members of the army acquisition workforce,6% in MOS 51C - Acquisition,Logistics and Technology Contracting Noncommissioned Officer,and the remainder 90% percentage consist largely of Department of the Army civilians.
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. 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.
The National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence (NSCAI) was an independent commission of the United States of America established in 2018 to make recommendations to the President and Congress to "advance the development of artificial intelligence,machine learning,and associated technologies to comprehensively address the national security and defense needs of the United States". The commission's 15 members were nominated by Congress.
Christopher Joseph Lowman is an American military official who had served as the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Sustainment. He previously served as the acting Under Secretary of the Army from 2021 to 2022.
Jacques Singleton "Jack" Gansler was an aerospace electronics engineer,defense contracting executive and public policy expert. He served as Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition,Technology and Logistics from November 1997 to January 2001.
Juanita M. Christensen is an American government official and electronics engineer. She is the deputy chief of staff for logistics (G4) of facilities and environmental at the United States Army Materiel Command. From November 2017 until January 2021,Christensen was director of the United States Army Aviation and Missile Center. In February 2015,she became the first African-American woman from Redstone Arsenal to join the Senior Executive Service.
