United States Department of the Army

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United States Department of the Army
United States Department of the Army Seal.svg
US Army Headquarters Seal.png
US Army Headquarters SSI
Agency overview
FormedJuly 14, 1775;250 years ago (1775-07-14)
Preceding agency
Headquarters The Pentagon, Arlington County, Virginia, U.S.
Annual budget$174.7B (FY2022)
Agency executives
Parent agency U.S. Department of Defense
Child agency
Website army.mil
Seal of the Department of War (1789-1947) Seal of the United States Department of War.png
Seal of the Department of War (1789–1947)

The Department of the Army (DA) is one of the three military departments within the United States Department of Defense. The DA is the federal government agency within which the United States Army (U.S.) is organized. It is led by the secretary of the Army, a civilian official appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate. The highest-ranking military officer in the department is the chief of staff of the Army, who is also a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Other senior officials of the department are the under secretary of the Army (principal deputy to the secretary) and the vice chief of staff of the Army (principal deputy to the chief of staff.)

Contents

The DA is a successor to the Department of War which was originally formed in 1789 as an Executive Department of the United States. The Department of War was split by the National Security Act of 1947 into the Department of the Army and Department of the Air Force on September 18, 1947.

Organizational structure

The Department of the Army is a military department within the United States Department of Defense. The department is headed by the secretary of the army, who by statute must be a civilian, appointed by the president with the confirmation by the United States Senate. The secretary of the Army is responsible for and has the authority to conduct all the affairs of the Department of the Army, subject to the authority, direction and control of the secretary of defense. The Department of the Army is divided between its headquarters at the seat of government and the field organizations of the Army.

By direction of the secretary of defense, the secretary of the Army assigns Army forces, apart from those units performing duties enumerated in 10 United States Code § 7013 [1] (i.e., organize, train & equip) or unless otherwise directed to the operational command of the commanders of the Combatant Commands. Only the secretary of defense (and the president) has the authority to approve transfer of forces to and from Combatant Commands by 10 United States Code § 162. [2]

Headquarters, Department of the Army

Chart summarizing the organization of the Department of the Army's Headquarters as of 2010. Organization of the Department of the Army Headquarters.png
Chart summarizing the organization of the Department of the Army's Headquarters as of 2010.

Headquarters, Department of the Army is the corporate office of the department which exercises directive and supervisory functions and consists of two separate staffs: the Office of the Secretary of the Army (10 United States Code § 7014 [3] ), the mainly civilian staff; and the Army Staff (10 United States Code § 7031, [4] & 10 United States Code § 7032 [5] ), the mainly military staff. The Office of the Secretary and the Army Staff are organized along similar lines, with civilians and military officers both overseeing similar program areas. [a]

Civilian (Army Secretariat)Military (Army Staff)
Assistant Secretary of the Army (Manpower and Reserve Affairs) Deputy Chief of Staff (G1-Personnel)
Deputy Chief of Staff (G3/5/7-Operations, Plans, and Training)
Assistant Secretary of the Army for Installations, Energy and Environment Deputy Chief of Staff (G1-Personnel)
Deputy Chief of Staff (G4-Logistics)
Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works Chief of Engineers
Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics, and Technology Deputy Chief of Staff (G4-Logistics)
Assistant Secretary of the Army (Financial Management and Comptroller) Deputy Chief of Staff (G8-Financial Management)
General Counsel of the Army Deputy Chief of Staff (G2-Intelligence)
Army Chief Information Officer (CIO) Deputy Chief of Staff (G6-Communications/IT)

Office of the Secretary

The Office of the Secretary is led by the secretary of the Army, assisted by the under secretary of the Army and the administrative assistant to the secretary of the Army, who is the senior civilian career official of the department. The Office of the Secretary of the Army, also known as the Army Secretariat, is divided into multiple branches with functional responsibilities, the six most important of which are headed by one of the five assistant secretaries of the Army or the general counsel of the Army, each of whom are civilians appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate.

The Army Staff

The Army Staff Identification Badge United States Army Staff Identification Badge.png
The Army Staff Identification Badge

The Army Staff is led by the chief of staff of the Army, a four-star general who is the highest-ranking officer in the Army and the Army member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The chief of staff is assisted in managing the Army Staff by the vice chief of staff of the United States Army, a four-star general and second highest-ranking officer in the Army. The Army Staff is divided into several directorates, each headed by a three-star general; a deputy chief of staff (DCS G–1 (personnel), G–2 (intelligence), G–3 (operations), G–4 (logistics), [9] [10] G-5 (planning), G-6 (network), G-7 (training), and G-8 (finance) respectively). [11] [9] The DCS G-3/5/7 is a single office for operations, plans, and training.

A key official within the Army Staff is the director of the Army Staff, who is a three-star general. The director is responsible for integrating and synchronizing the work of the Office of the Secretary and the Army Staff so that they meet the goals and priorities of the secretary of the Army. Other key figures within the Army Staff are the sergeant major of the Army, the Army Staff Senior Warrant Officer, the Chief Warrant Officer of the Army, the United States Army judge advocate general, the chief of the Army Reserve, the United States Army provost marshal general, and the United States Army surgeon general. The chief of the National Guard Bureau was previously considered part of the Army Staff, but has been elevated to four-star rank and membership in the Joint Chiefs of Staff; the director of the Army National Guard and the director of the Air National Guard (both three-star positions) report to the chief, National Guard Bureau for strategy and policy, but receive funding and Service-specific guidance from their respective services, as they have different legal authorities. [12]

Army commands and army service component commands

US Army Star Logo SSI.png Headquarters, United States Department of the Army (HQDA):

Army CommandsCurrent commanderLocation of headquarters
Transformation and Training Command SSI 1507x1957px.png United States Army Transformation and Training Command (T2COM) [13] GEN David M. Hodne Austin, Texas
AMC shoulder insignia.svg United States Army Materiel Command (AMC) [14] LTG Christopher O. Mohan Redstone Arsenal, Alabama
Army Service Component CommandsCurrent commanderLocation of headquarters
USAWHC insignia.png United States Army Western Hemisphere Command (USAWHC) [15] GEN Joseph A. Ryan Fort Bragg, North Carolina
USAREUR Insignia.svg United States Army Europe and Africa(USAREUR-AF)/Seventh Army GEN Christopher T. Donahue [16] Clay Kaserne, Wiesbaden, Germany
USARPAC insignia.svg United States Army Pacific (USARPAC) [17] GEN Ronald P. Clark Fort Shafter, Hawaii
US3ASSI.svg United States Army Central (ARCENT)/Third Army [18] LTG Patrick D. Frank Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina
US Army Cyber Command SSI.png United States Army Cyber Command (ARCYBER) [19] [20] [21] LTG Maria B. Barrett Fort Gordon, Georgia
United States Army Space and Missile Defense Command Logo.svg United States Army Space and Missile Defense Command/United States Army Forces Strategic Command (USASMDC/ARSTRAT) [22] LTG Sean Gainey Redstone Arsenal, Alabama
US Army Special Operations Command SSI.svg United States Army Special Operations Command (USASOC) [23] LTG Lawrence G. Ferguson Fort Bragg, North Carolina
Surface Deployment and Distribution Command SSI.svg United States Army Transportation Command (ARTRANS) [24] MG Lance G. Curtis Scott AFB, Illinois
Operational Force HeadquartersCurrent commanderLocation of headquarters
Eighth United States Army CSIB.svg Eighth Army (EUSA) [25] LTG Joseph E. Hilbert Camp Humphreys, South Korea
Direct reporting unitsCurrent commanderLocation of headquarters
Arlington National Cemetery Seal.png Arlington National Cemetery and Soldiers' and Airmen's Home National Cemetery [26] Katharine Kelley [27] (civilian) Arlington County, Virginia
Joint Counter-Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems Office.png Joint Counter-Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems Office [28] MG David F. StewartArlington County, Virginia
Military Postal Service Agency.jpg Military Postal Service Agency [29] BG Gregory S. JohnsonArlington County, Virginia
US Army ASAALT Insignia.svg United States Army Acquisition Support Center (USAASC) [30] Craig A. Spisak [31] (civilian) Fort Belvoir, Virginia
US Army Audit Agency.jpg United States Army Audit Agency (USAAA) [32] Bruce B. Miller Alexandria, Virginia
US Army Civilian Human Resources Agency seal.png United States Army Civilian Human Resources Agency (CHRA) [33] Carol Burton [34] (civilian) Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland
USACE.gif United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) [35] LTG William H. Graham Jr. Washington, D.C.
Army-corrections-shoulder.jpg United States Army Corrections Command (ACC) [36] BG Sarah K. AlbrychtArlington County, Virginia
Cid patch color.jpg United States Army Criminal Investigation Division (USACID) [37] Gregory D. Ford Quantico, Virginia
HRCPatch.png United States Army Human Resources Command (HRC) [38] MG Hope C. Rampy Fort Knox, Kentucky
INSCOM.svg United States Army Intelligence and Security Command (INSCOM) [39] MG Timothy D. BrownFort Belvoir, Virginia
MEDCOM.png United States Army Medical Command (MEDCOM) [40] LTG Mary K. Izaguirre Joint Base San Antonio, Texas
US Army Reserve Command SSI.svg U.S. Army Reserve Command (USARC)LTG Robert Harter Fort Bragg, North Carolina
United States Army Military District of Washington CSIB.svg United States Army Military District of Washington (MDW) [41] BG Antoinette R. Gant Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
USMA SSI.png United States Military Academy (USMA) [42] LTG Steven W. Gilland West Point, New York
Source: U.S. Army organization [43]

Source: U.S. Army organization [44]

See also

Notes

  1. Understanding the Army Requirements Oversight Council (AROC) [6] [7] [8] See Joint Requirements Oversight Council

References

  1. 10 U.S.C.   § 7013
  2. 10 U.S.C.   § 162
  3. 10 U.S.C.   § 7014
  4. 10 U.S.C.   § 7031
  5. 10 U.S.C.   § 7032
  6. Army Publishing Directorate sample search: AR 5-22 AR 5-22 — The Army Force Modernization Proponent System Army Publications Home page
  7. Army Strategy Note (ASN) proponent: G-3/5/7 (LTG James E. Rainey) (1 April 2022) INSTITUTIONAL STRATEGY SD 12 STRATEGY NOTE 2022-04, should be read in conjunction with How the Army Runs
  8. US Army War College (USAWC) School of Strategic Landpower (2019-2020) How the Army Runs: a senior leader reference handbook 32nd edition. 560 pages
  9. 1 2 Carter, Charles F. Jr.; Archer, Mark A.; Murray, Albert E. (July 1988). "Description of Army Staff Functions: Targets for Planning Aids" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on March 4, 2017.
  10. "DISESTABLISHMENT OF THE DEPUTY CHIEF OF STAFF, G-9" (PDF). Army Publications. September 2025. Retrieved December 25, 2025.
  11. "NATO SHAPE structure". nato.int. Archived from the original on 9 January 2010.
  12. United States Code (1956) TITLE 10 AND TITLE 32, UNITED STATES CODE
  13. "Army Stands up Transformation and Training Command". AUSA. October 3, 2025. Retrieved October 5, 2025.
  14. "AMC History – Army Material Command". AMC.Army.mil. Retrieved February 17, 2024.
  15. "USAWHC – Army Western Hemisphere Command". army.mil/usawhc. Retrieved December 5, 2025.
  16. "U.S. Army Europe and Africa Leadership". www.europeafrica.army.mil. Archived from the original on March 31, 2025. Retrieved April 5, 2025.
  17. "United States Army Pacific Overview". usarpac.army.mil. Archived from the original on May 15, 2023. Retrieved February 17, 2024.
  18. "About U.S. Army Central". usarcent.army.mil. Archived from the original on November 19, 2017. Retrieved February 17, 2024.
  19. "General Orders No. 2014–02" (PDF). Department of the Army. Archived (PDF) from the original on February 3, 2015.
  20. "General Orders No. 2010-26: Establishment of the United States Army Cyber Command" (PDF). Department of the Army. Archived (PDF) from the original on May 14, 2011.
  21. U.S. Army (October 1, 2010). "Army establishes Army Cyber Command". army.mil. Retrieved June 28, 2016.
  22. "About the Command – United States Army Space and Missile Defense Command". smdc.army.mil. Archived from the original on February 18, 2024. Retrieved February 17, 2024.
  23. "USASOC Overview". United States Army. Archived from the original on February 18, 2024. Retrieved February 17, 2024.
  24. "Redesignation of the military surface deployment and distribution command as the United States army transportation command" (PDF). armypubs.army.mil.
  25. "General Orders No. 2012-02: Redesignation and Assignment of Eighth Army as a Subordinate Command of The United States Army Pacific" (PDF). Department of the Army. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 4, 2016.
  26. "Designation of Arlington National Cemetery and Soldiers' and Airmen's Home National Cemetery as a Direct Reporting Unit" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on February 3, 2015. Retrieved February 7, 2015.
  27. "Who is Kate Kelley?". allgov.com. Archived from the original on December 16, 2018. Retrieved December 13, 2018.
  28. Redesignation and Reassignment of the United Staters Army Joint Counter-Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems Office army.mil
  29. "Designation of Military Postal Serive Agency and its Subordiante Elements as Direct Reporting Unit" (PDF). armypubs.army.mil. Archived (PDF) from the original on July 6, 2022. Retrieved July 6, 2022.
  30. "Designation of the United States Army Acquisition Support Center as a Direct Reporting Unit" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on March 4, 2016. Retrieved February 2, 2015.
  31. "Craig Spisak". asc.army.mil. Archived from the original on August 10, 2016. Retrieved December 13, 2018.
  32. "Redesignation of the United States army audit agency as a direct reporting unit" (PDF). armypubs.army.mil.
  33. DAGO 2017-03, Designation of the United States Army Civilian Human Resources Agency and Its Subordinate Elements As Direct Reporting Unit Archived 17 April 2025 at the Wayback Machine , apd.army.mil, dated 4 January 2017, last accessed 13 January 2017
  34. "About Us". CHRA. Archived from the original on May 25, 2021. Retrieved December 4, 2020.
  35. "United States Army Corps of Engineers Official website". usace.army.mil. Retrieved July 11, 2024.
  36. "army.mil" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on April 5, 2023. Retrieved April 5, 2023.
  37. "Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division Homepage". cid.army.mil. Retrieved July 10, 2024.
  38. "DAGO 2017-04, Designation of United States Army Human Resources Command and Its Subordinate Elements as Direct Reporting Unit". Army Publishing Directorate. January 4, 2017. Archived from the original on January 16, 2017. Retrieved January 13, 2017.
  39. "The Official website of the U.S. Army Intelligence and Security Command". usainscom.army.mil. Archived from the original on October 5, 2023. Retrieved July 10, 2024.
  40. "Army Medicine Overview". army.mil. Archived from the original on April 25, 2021. Retrieved July 10, 2024.
  41. "Joint Task Force-National Capital Region and The U.S. Army Military District of Washington Homepage". jtfncr.mdw.army.mil. Archived from the original on April 6, 2025. Retrieved July 10, 2024.
  42. "The official website of the United States Military Academy". westpoint.edu. Retrieved July 10, 2024.
  43. Organization, United States Army

Bibliography