Department of Defense Manual

Department of Defense Manual
Name	Department of Defense Manual
Publisher	United States Department of Defense
Country	United States
Language	English
Subject	Defense policy, doctrine, procedure
Release date	Ongoing
Pages	Varies by volume

Contents

Department of Defense Manual

The Department of Defense Manual is a consolidated set of policy, procedure, and guidance volumes promulgated by the United States Department of Defense to implement statutory duties and executive direction. It functions as an authoritative repository for instructions, directives, and standards used across the United States Armed Forces, affecting organizations such as the Office of the Secretary of Defense, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the United States Army, the United States Navy, the United States Air Force, and the United States Marine Corps. The Manual interfaces with federal law, interagency practice, and international commitments involving entities like the Department of State, the Department of Homeland Security, and allied partners.

Overview

The Manual aggregates multiple numbered volumes that convert policy from issuances such as orders, directives, and memoranda into implementable procedures for entities including the Defense Logistics Agency, the National Guard Bureau, the United States Cyber Command, the United States Central Command, and the United States European Command. It complements issuances from senior leaders like the Secretary of Defense, the President of the United States, and the Congress of the United States, and aligns with statutes enacted by bodies such as the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. The corpus influences operations at installations like Fort Bragg, Naval Station Norfolk, and Joint Base Andrews and affects cooperation with international instruments such as the North Atlantic Treaty and frameworks tied to the NATO Military Committee.

Legal authority for the Manual derives from statutes including the National Security Act of 1947, the Goldwater–Nichols Department of Defense Reorganization Act of 1986, and appropriations enacted by the United States Congress. The Manual implements executive directives issued by the President of the United States and policy guidance from the Secretary of Defense and is intended to ensure compliance with judicial decisions from courts such as the United States Supreme Court and statutory obligations under laws like the Uniform Code of Military Justice and the Freedom of Information Act. It also supports international obligations referenced in agreements like the Status of Forces Agreement and interoperability standards arising from collaborations with partners including the United Kingdom Ministry of Defence and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

The Manual is organized into numbered components and volumes administered by principal offices such as the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy, the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment, and the Defense Information Systems Agency. Drafting and coordination involve stakeholders including the Inspector General of the Department of Defense, the General Counsel of the Department of Defense, the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness, and combatant commands like United States Indo-Pacific Command. Publication follows internal processes similar to rulemaking used by agencies such as the Federal Aviation Administration and the Department of Justice, with coordination across executive offices like the White House and staff elements from the National Security Council where national-level policy intersects.

Individual volumes are marked according to classification regimes overseen by entities such as the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency, the National Reconnaissance Office, and the National Security Agency when they contain information related to intelligence or operations. Distribution follows channels used by logistics organizations like the Defense Logistics Agency and personnel distribution systems such as those run by the Defense Finance and Accounting Service, with controlled access for commands including United States Special Operations Command. Declassification and release processes are coordinated with offices like the National Archives and Records Administration and are informed by statutes such as the Classified Information Procedures Act.

The Manual covers a range of subjects including force readiness and training used at centers like the National Training Center (Fort Irwin), acquisition and procurement procedures relevant to vendors such as Lockheed Martin and Raytheon Technologies Corporation, cybersecurity guidance affecting organizations including the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, personnel management practices relevant to the Defense Commissary Agency, and health services interfacing with the Military Health System and facilities such as Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. Example volumes address topics like logistics support for operations in theaters such as Operation Enduring Freedom, rules of engagement consonant with directives influenced by the Law of Armed Conflict, data governance intersecting with standards used by the Office of Management and Budget, and inspector general protocols mirroring practices of the Government Accountability Office.

Revisions are initiated by stakeholders including combatant commands and OSD components, reviewed by coordinating bodies such as the Joint Staff and legal offices like the Department of Justice, and promulgated following internal notice periods analogous to mechanisms used by the Federal Register. Amendment cycles reflect lessons learned from operations including Operation Iraqi Freedom and investigations by the Department of Defense Inspector General, and may be responsive to congressional hearings conducted by committees such as the United States House Committee on Armed Services and the United States Senate Committee on Armed Services. Periodic reviews incorporate inputs from academic institutions like the National Defense University and policy analyses from organizations such as the RAND Corporation.

Compliance with the Manual is enforced through oversight mechanisms including inspections by the Inspector General of the Department of Defense, audits by the Government Accountability Office, and adjudication within the Uniform Code of Military Justice framework when appropriate. Implementation responsibilities fall to service secretariats, combatant commands, and support agencies including the Defense Contract Management Agency and the Defense Information Systems Agency, with training provided by organizations such as the Defense Acquisition University and professional military education institutions like the United States Naval War College. Oversight interactions extend to congressional oversight by committees including the Senate Armed Services Committee and to treaty compliance reviews coordinated with bodies such as the North Atlantic Council.

Category:United States Department of Defense publications