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.
Lawrence Thomas Di Rita is an American political advisor who served as an aide to United States Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld. He has also worked as a spokesman for Bank of America.
The military budget is the largest portion of the discretionary United States federal budget allocated to the Department of Defense,or more broadly,the portion of the budget that goes to any military-related expenditures. The military budget pays the salaries,training,and health care of uniformed and civilian personnel,maintains arms,equipment and facilities,funds operations,and develops and buys new items. The budget funds five branches of the U.S. military:the Army,Navy,Marine Corps,Air Force,and Space Force.
The Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS) is an agency of the United States Department of Defense (DOD),headquartered in Indianapolis,Indiana. DFAS was established in 1991 under the authority,direction,and control of the Under Secretary of Defense (Comptroller)/Chief Financial Officer to strengthen and reduce costs of financial management and operations within DOD. DFAS is responsible for all payments to servicemembers,employees,vendors,and contractors. It provides business intelligence and finance and accounting information to DOD decisionmakers. DFAS is also responsible for preparing annual financial statements and the consolidation,standardization,and modernization of finance and accounting requirements,functions,processes,operations,and systems for DOD.
Lloyd James Austin III is an American retired United States Army four-star general who,since his appointment on January 22,2021,has served as the 28th United States secretary of defense. He is the first African American to serve as the United States secretary of defense. Austin previously served as the 12th commander of United States Central Command (CENTCOM) from 2013 to 2016.
The under secretary of defense (comptroller)/chief financial officer,abbreviated USD(C)/CFO,is a high level civilian official in the United States Department of Defense. The Under Secretary of Defense (Comptroller) is the principal staff assistant and adviser to both the Secretary of Defense and the Deputy Secretary of Defense for all budgetary and fiscal matters,including the development and execution of the Defense Department's annual budget.
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.
John Holden Gibson II is an American businessman and government official. Gibson is the former Chief Management Officer of the United States Department of Defense. Prior to serving as CMO,Gibson served as the Deputy Chief Management Officer for the Defense Department from November 2017 to February 2018. He has been chief financial officer,chief operating officer,and managing director for several companies including a national consulting group. Gibson previously served as Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Management Reform and as Assistant Secretary of the Air Force.
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.
Robert F. Hale was the United States Under Secretary of Defense (Comptroller) from 2009 until 2014 and before that the Comptroller and Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Financial Management. Hale has over thirty years of experience as a professional financial manager serving in a wide range of national defense related roles. In addition to his most recent position as Under Secretary of Defense and his previous appointment as Assistant Secretary of the Air Force,Hale has also served in the National Security Division of the Congressional Budget Office and as Executive Director of the American Society of Military Comptrollers. Hale is a fellow of the National Academy of Public Administration and a former member of the Defense Business Board. He was appointed to the National Commission on the Future of the Army by Representative Adam Smith (D-WA).
Jamie Michael Morin is a former senior official in the United States Department of Defense. He was a private sector economist and research consultant before earning a Doctorate degree in political science from Yale University. He then served as a professional staff member on the United States Senate Committee on the Budget. Morin was Director of Cost Assessment and Program Evaluation at the Department of Defense. Previously,he was Assistant Secretary of the Air Force,and served concurrently as Acting Under Secretary of the Air Force from 3 July 2012 to 28 April 2013. He joined The Aerospace Corporation in 2017 as executive director of the Center for Space Policy and Strategy and vice president of Defense Systems Operations.
Assistant Secretary of the Army is a civilian office in the United States Department of the Army.
Mary Sally Matiella is an American government official and political candidate who served as the Assistant Secretary of the Army during the Obama Administration. After several decades of federal civil service,Matiella served as the Assistant Secretary of the Army,holding office from February 16,2010 until February 27,2014,when she resigned and was succeeded by Robert M. Speer.
The Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Financial Management and Comptroller (SAF/FM) is a civilian official in the United States Department of the Air Force.
Alfred K. Flowers is a retired United States Air Force major general who served in many roles,culminating as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Budget. At the time of his retirement,Flowers had served more than 46 years on active duty,making him the longest-serving airman in Air Force history and the longest serving African American in the history of the United States Department of Defense. Prior to his retirement,the enlisted members of Air Education and Training Command presented Flowers with the Order of the Sword,the Air Force enlisted force's highest honor for officer leadership.
Larry O'neil Spencer is a retired United States Air Force general who served in many command,comptroller,and leadership roles during the course of his career. Some of his leadership roles included being the Vice Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force,commander of the 75th Air Base Wing at Hill AFB,commander of the 72nd Support Group at Tinker AFB,and the commander of the 4th Comptroller Squadron at Seymour Johnson AFB. He retired 1 October 2015 after more than 44 years of service. He received the Defense Distinguished Service Medal,the Air Force Distinguished Service Medal,the Defense Superior Service Medal,and the Legion of Merit.
David L. Norquist is an American financial management professional and government official who served as the United States deputy secretary of defense from 2019 to 2021. In January 2021,he served for two days as the acting United States secretary of defense,succeeding Christopher C. Miller.
John Euler Whitley is an American government official who served as the acting United States Secretary of the Army from January 20,2021,to May 28,2021. He previously serviced as Assistant Secretary of the Army and acting director of cost assessment and program evaluation for the Department of Defense.
Christopher Charles Miller is an American retired United States Army Special Forces colonel who served as acting United States secretary of defense from November 9,2020,to January 20,2021. He previously served as Director of the National Counterterrorism Center from August 10 to November 9,2020. Before his civilian service in the Department of Defense,Miller was a Green Beret,commanding 5th Special Forces Group in Iraq and Afghanistan,and later spent time as a defense contractor.
Thomas A. Horlander is a retired United States Army lieutenant general who most recently served as the Military Deputy for Budget to the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Financial Management &Comptroller from August 2,2017 to August 2021. Previously,he served as the Director for Army Budget of the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Financial Management &Comptroller.
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