Portal:Department of Defense/Intro: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 00:01, 4 December 2024

The Department of Defense (DoD, USDOD, or DOD) 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 November 2022, the U.S. Department of Defense is the second largest employer in the world—After India; and potentially China, if including the Central Military Commission. With over 1.4 million active-duty service personnel, 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 2.91 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".

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 latter of which is also the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces. 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 subordinate to the Department of Defense:

Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA)
National Security Agency (NSA)
National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA)
National Reconnaissance Office (NRO)

Other Defense agencies include

Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)
Defense Logistics Agency (DLA)
Missile Defense Agency (MDA)
Defense Health Agency (DHA)
Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA)
Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA)
Space Development Agency (SDA)
Pentagon Force Protection Agency (PFPA)

Additionally, the Defense Contract Management Agency (DCMA) is responsible for administering contracts for the Department of Defense. Military operations are managed by eleven regional or functional unified combatant commands. The Department of Defense also operates several joint services schools, including the Eisenhower School (ES) and the National War College (NWC).

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 The '''[[Department of Defense]]''' ('''DoD''', '''USDOD''', or '''DOD''') is an [[United States federal executive departments|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 November 2022, the U.S. Department of Defense is the second largest employer in the world—After India; and potentially China, if including the Central Military Commission. With over 1.4  million active-duty service personnel, 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 2.91  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".
-The Department of Defense is headed by the [[United States Secretary of Defense|secretary of defense]], a cabinet-level head who reports directly to the [[president of the United States]], the latter of which is also the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces. Beneath the Department of Defense are three subordinate military departments: the [[United States Department of the Army|Department of the Army]], the [[United States Department of the Navy|Department of the Navy]], and the [[United States Department of the Air Force|Department of the Air Force]]. In addition, four [[United States Intelligence Community|national intelligence services]] are subordinate to the Department of Defense: the Defense Intelligence Agency ([[Defense Intelligence Agency|DIA]]), the National Security Agency ([[National Security Agency|NSA]]), the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency ([[National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency|NGA]]), and the National Reconnaissance Office ([[National Reconnaissance Office|NRO]]). Other Defense agencies include the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency ([[DARPA]]), the Defense Logistics Agency ([[Defense Logistics Agency|DLA]]), the Missile Defense Agency ([[Missile Defense Agency|MDA]]), the Defense Health Agency ([[Defense Health Agency|DHA]]), Defense Threat Reduction Agency ([[Defense Threat Reduction Agency|DTRA]]), the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency ([[Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency|DCSA]]), the Space Development Agency (SDA) and the Pentagon Force Protection Agency (PFPA), all of which are subordinate to the secretary of defense. Additionally, the Defense Contract Management Agency ([[Defense Contract Management Agency|DCMA]]) is responsible for administering contracts for the Department of Defense. Military operations are managed by eleven regional or functional unified combatant commands. The Department of Defense also operates several joint services schools, including the Eisenhower School (ES) and the National War College (NWC).
+The Department of Defense is headed by the [[United States Secretary of Defense|secretary of defense]], a cabinet-level head who reports directly to the [[president of the United States]], the latter of which is also the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces. Beneath the Department of Defense are three subordinate military departments: the [[United States Department of the Army|Department of the Army]], the [[United States Department of the Navy|Department of the Navy]], and the [[United States Department of the Air Force|Department of the Air Force]].
+Four [[United States Intelligence Community|national intelligence services]] are subordinate to the Department of Defense:
+* [[Defense Intelligence Agency]] (DIA)
+* [[National Security Agency]] (NSA)
+* [[National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency]] (NGA)
+* [[National Reconnaissance Office]] (NRO)
+Other Defense agencies include
+* [[Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency]] (DARPA)
+* [[Defense Logistics Agency]] (DLA)
+* [[Missile Defense Agency]] (MDA)
+* [[Defense Health Agency]] (DHA)
+* [[Defense Threat Reduction Agency]] (DTRA)
+* [[Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency]] (DCSA)
+* [[Space Development Agency]] (SDA)
+* [[Pentagon Force Protection Agency]] (PFPA)
+Additionally, the Defense Contract Management Agency ([[Defense Contract Management Agency|DCMA]]) is responsible for administering contracts for the Department of Defense. Military operations are managed by eleven regional or functional unified combatant commands. The Department of Defense also operates several joint services schools, including the Eisenhower School (ES) and the National War College (NWC).