Omar Bennett
The United States Department of Defense (DoD) is the Federal Government's largest agency and one of the world's most complex organizations. With over 1.3 million active-duty service members, the DoD is the nation's largest employer. The DoD's mission is to provide the military forces needed to deter war and protect the security of the United States and its allies. The DoD is an executive department of the U.S. federal government, headed by the secretary of defense, who is a cabinet-level head reporting directly to the president of the United States.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Type of department | Executive department of the U.S. federal government |
| Purpose | To provide the military forces needed to deter war and win wars to protect national security and the security of allies |
| Size | America's largest government agency with over 1.3 million active-duty service members, 750,000 civilian personnel, and more than 811,000 National Guard and Reserve service members |
| Head | Secretary of Defense, a cabinet-level head who reports directly to the president of the United States |
| Subordinate military departments | Department of the Army, Department of the Navy, and Department of the Air Force |
| Subordinate national intelligence services | Defense Intelligence Agency, National Security Agency (NSA), National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, and National Reconnaissance Office |
| Other subordinate agencies | Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), Defense Logistics Agency, Missile Defense Agency, Defense Health Agency, Defense Threat Reduction Agency, Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency, Space Development Agency, and Pentagon Force Protection Agency |
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What You'll Learn
The Department of Defense's mission
The Department of Defense (DoD) is the successor agency to the National Military Establishment, established as an executive department of the US federal government by the National Security Act Amendments of 1949. It is America's largest government agency, with over 1.3 million active-duty service members, 750,000 civilian personnel, and 811,000 National Guard and Reserve service members, making it the nation's largest employer. The DoD is headed by the secretary of defense, a cabinet-level head who reports directly to the president of the United States. The Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) is the principal staff element of the secretary of defense, responsible for policy development, planning, resource management, and oversight.
The DoD's stated mission is "to provide the military forces needed to deter war and ensure our nation's security." In other words, the DoD aims to provide combat-credible military forces to deter and win wars and protect the security of the United States and its allies. This mission is accomplished through the organization of the DoD into various elements, including the OSD, Joint Chiefs of Staff, Joint Staff, DoD Office of the Inspector General (DoD IG), Combatant Commands (CCMDs), Military Departments (MilDeps), Defense Agencies, and DoD Field Activities.
The DoD is responsible for coordinating and supervising the six US armed services: the Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force, Space Force, and the Coast Guard for some purposes. Beneath the DoD are three subordinate military departments: the Department of the Army, the Department of the Navy, and the Department of the Air Force. Additionally, four national intelligence services are subordinate to the DoD: the Defense Intelligence Agency, National Security Agency (NSA), National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, and National Reconnaissance Office.
The DoD also operates several joint services schools, including the Eisenhower School and the National War College. Military operations are managed by eleven regional or functional unified combatant commands. The DoD maintains and uses armed forces to support and defend the Constitution and ensure the security of the US, its territories, and vital interests.
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The Department of Defense's structure
The Department of Defense (DoD) is the successor agency to the National Military Establishment and was established by the National Security Act Amendments of 1949 as an executive department of the US federal government. The National Military Establishment began operations on 18 September 1947, and was renamed the "Department of Defense" on 10 August 1949. The Department of Defense is America's largest government agency, with its roots tracing back to pre-Revolutionary times. It has over 1.4 million active-duty uniformed personnel in the six armed services, including the Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force, Space Force, and Coast Guard. It also supervises over 778,000 National Guard and reservist personnel, and over 747,000 civilians, bringing the total to over 2.91 million employees.
The Department of Defense's headquarters are at the Pentagon in Arlington County, Virginia, across the Potomac River from Washington, D.C. The Pentagon Force Protection Agency ensures law enforcement and security for the Pentagon and other jurisdictions throughout the National Capital Region.
The President of the United States is, according to the Constitution, the Commander-in-Chief of the US Armed Forces and Chief Executive of the Federal Government. The Secretary of Defense is the head of the department and has the statutory authority to lead the Department and all of its component agencies, including military command authority second only to the President. The Secretary of Defense is the principal assistant to the President in all matters relating to the Department of Defense. The Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) is the principal staff element of the Secretary of Defense and includes civilian staff such as the Deputy Secretary of Defense, Under Secretaries, and Assistant Secretaries of Defense.
Beneath the Department of Defense are three subordinate military departments: the Department of the Army, the Department of the Navy, and the Department of the Air Force. Four national intelligence services are also subordinate to the Department of Defense: the Defense Intelligence Agency, National Security Agency (NSA), National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, and National Reconnaissance Office. Other agencies under the Department of Defense include the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), Defense Logistics Agency, Missile Defense Agency, Defense Health Agency, and Defense Threat Reduction Agency.
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The Department of Defense's agencies
The Department of Defense (DoD) is an executive department of the U.S. federal government. It is the nation's largest government agency and one of the most complex organisations in the world. The DoD is composed of the Office of the Secretary of Defense, Joint Chiefs of Staff and Joint Staff, Office of the Inspector General, Combatant Commands, Military Departments, Defense Agencies, and Department of Defense Field Activities. The Military Departments include the Department of the Army, the Department of the Navy, and the Department of the Air Force.
The DoD is responsible for coordinating and supervising the six U.S. armed services: the Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force, Space Force, and the Coast Guard for some purposes. It also oversees related functions and agencies. As of November 2022, the department has over 1.4 million active-duty personnel in the six armed services. Additionally, it supervises over 778,000 National Guard and reservist personnel, and over 747,000 civilians, bringing the total number of employees to over 2.9 million. The DoD's mission is to provide the military forces needed to deter war and ensure our nation's security.
Beneath the DoD are three subordinate military departments and four national intelligence services. The national intelligence services that fall under the DoD are the Defense Intelligence Agency, National Security Agency (NSA), National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, and National Reconnaissance Office. Other DoD agencies include the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), Defense Logistics Agency, Missile Defense Agency, Defense Health Agency, Defense Threat Reduction Agency, Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency, Space Development Agency, and Pentagon Force Protection Agency.
The DoD is headed by the secretary of defense, who is a cabinet-level head reporting directly to the president of the United States. The Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) is composed of the secretary and their deputies, including predominantly civilian staff. The OSD is responsible for policy development, planning, resource management, fiscal and program evaluation, and oversight. It also interfaces and exchanges with other U.S. federal government departments, foreign governments, and international organisations. The OSD also manages the Defense Agencies, Department of Defense Field Activities, and specialized Cross Functional Teams.
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The Department of Defense's history
The Department of Defense (DoD) is an executive department of the US federal government. It is the successor agency to the National Military Establishment and was established by the National Security Act Amendments of 1949. The National Military Establishment began operations on September 18, the day after James V. Forrestal was confirmed as the first secretary of defense. The Establishment was renamed the "Department of Defense" on August 10, 1949, and absorbed three cabinet-level military departments. The DoD is the largest government agency in the US and one of the most complex organizations in the world, with over 1.3 million active-duty service members and more than 811,000 National Guard and Reserve service members. The department is headed by the secretary of defense, a cabinet-level head who reports directly to the president of the United States. The secretary of defense is in the chain of command and exercises control over all DoD-administered service branches, including the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, and Space Force. The DoD's mission is "to provide the military forces needed to deter war and ensure our nation's security". The department also supervises the Coast Guard for some purposes and related functions and agencies.
The DoD is organized into the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD), Joint Chiefs of Staff, Joint Staff, DoD Office of the Inspector General (DoD IG), Combatant Commands (CCMDs), Military Departments (MilDeps), Defense Agencies, and DoD Field Activities (DA/DoD FAs), among other elements. The OSD is the principal staff element of the secretary of defense and is responsible for policy development, planning, resource management, and oversight. The OSD also performs oversight and management of Defense Agencies, DoD Field Activities, and Cross-Functional Teams.
The DoD is responsible for maintaining and using armed forces to support and defend the Constitution, protect national security, and ensure the security of US possessions and vital interests. This includes providing military forces to deter and win wars and protect the security of allies. The DoD coordinates and supervises the six US armed services: the Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force, Space Force, and the Coast Guard under certain circumstances. The department also has a significant number of civilian personnel and private sector employees providing services and support under contract.
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The Department of Defense's size
The Department of Defense (DoD) is the successor agency to the National Military Establishment and was established by the National Security Act Amendments of 1949. It is an executive department of the U.S. federal government, and one of the nation's largest employers, with approximately 1.4 million Active Component personnel, 836,000 Selected Reserve forces, and 245,000 Individual Ready Reserve forces. In addition, the DoD has 735,000 appropriated and 126,000 non-appropriated civilian employees, bringing the total to over 2.91 million employees.
The DoD's size and scope are vast, with a global presence in every time zone and climate, and more than 450,000 personnel serving overseas. As one of the nation's largest healthcare providers, the DoD cares for almost 9.5 million beneficiaries.
The DoD has a complex organizational structure, with three subordinate military departments: the Department of the Army, the Department of the Navy, and the Department of the Air Force. Additionally, four national intelligence services are subordinate to the DoD: the Defense Intelligence Agency, the National Security Agency (NSA), the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, and the National Reconnaissance Office.
The DoD also includes various other agencies, such as the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), the Defense Logistics Agency, the Missile Defense Agency, and the Defense Health Agency, to name a few. The Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) is the principal staff element of the Secretary of Defense and plays a crucial role in policy development, planning, and oversight.
The DoD's stated mission is "to provide the military forces needed to deter war and ensure our nation's security." To accomplish this mission, the DoD maintains a multibillion-dollar global supply chain, a five million item inventory, and a $500 billion budget. The DoD's real property infrastructure includes over 561,975 facilities located on 4,800 sites worldwide, representing nearly 25 million acres.
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Frequently asked questions
The Department of Defense's mission is "to provide the military forces needed to deter war and ensure our nation's security".
The Department of Defense is headed by the secretary of defense, a cabinet-level head who reports directly to the president of the United States. The current secretary of defense is Pete Hegseth, who was nominated by President Donald Trump.
As of November 2022, the department has over 1.4 million active-duty uniformed personnel in the six armed services, supervises over 778,000 National Guard and reservist personnel, and has over 747,000 civilian employees, bringing the total to over 2.9 million employees.
