Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy

Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy
United States Department of Defense · Public domain · source
Name	Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy
Formation	1947 (evolving)
Headquarters	The Pentagon, Arlington, Virginia
Parent agency	United States Department of Defense
Chief1 name	(Varies)
Chief1 position	Under Secretary of Defense for Policy

Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy The Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy is the principal staff element for national security Secretary of Defense policy formulation linking the White House to operational commands such as CENTCOM, EUCOM, and INDOPACOM. It advises senior leaders including the President, the National Security Council, and the Congress on strategy, force posture, arms control, and security cooperation, interacting with counterparts in the Department of State, Department of Homeland Security, and international allies such as NATO, Quad, and the EU.

History

The office traces roots to post-World War II reorganizations culminating in the National Security Act of 1947 and subsequent defense policy staff evolutions under Secretaries including James V. Forrestal, George C. Marshall, and Robert A. Lovett. During the Cold War the office shaped responses to crises like the Berlin Blockade, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War, interacting with policymakers such as Dean Acheson, John Foster Dulles, and Robert McNamara. In the post-Cold War era it adapted to interventions in Operation Desert Storm, Operation Enduring Freedom, and Operation Iraqi Freedom, while responding to treaties such as the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty and events including the September 11 attacks. Reforms under Secretaries like William Perry and Donald Rumsfeld affected structure and missions, and the office has continued to evolve through policy challenges posed by actors such as the People's Republic of China, Russia, ISIL, and transregional crises including the Syrian Civil War and the Crimean crisis.

Mission and Responsibilities

The office formulates defense policy to support statutory leadership roles embodied by the National Security Act of 1947, providing guidance for deployment of forces in theaters like Pacific Ocean, Persian Gulf, and Baltic Sea. It leads strategic planning for alliances including NATO, partnerships with countries such as Japan, South Korea, Australia, and India, and arms control negotiations involving instruments like the New START Treaty and the Chemical Weapons Convention. Responsibilities include advising on use-of-force decisions with input from combatant commands such as AFRICOM and SOUTHCOM, coordinating security assistance with institutions like the USAID, and integrating policies across departments including the Department of State, Department of the Treasury, and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence.

Organizational Structure

The office is led by the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy and supported by Deputy Under Secretaries and Assistant Secretaries drawn from career civil servants and political appointees who have served in roles alongside officials from CRS, the GAO, and the OMB. Its divisions mirror functional portfolios—strategic deterrence, regional security, force planning, and policy development—cooperating with entities such as the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Defense Intelligence Agency, and the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency. The organizational model incorporates legal counsel from the DOJ and liaison offices assigned to multilateral forums including UNSC meetings and OSCE dialogues.

Key Offices and Components

Key components include offices focusing on regional affairs—covering areas like Europe, Middle East, Africa, Asia-Pacific—and functional portfolios such as Strategic Capabilities, Cyber Policy, and Defense Innovation. Notable subcomponents interact with programs run by agencies like USSOCOM, DARPA, and NSA. The office oversees security cooperation mechanisms like the Foreign Military Financing framework and the Security Assistance enterprise, and coordinates with acquisitions authorities such as the USD(A&S) and multilateral export control regimes like the Wassenaar Arrangement.

Notable Under Secretaries

Individuals who have served include figures with backgrounds linked to institutions like Harvard University, Stanford University, Georgetown University, and Columbia University, and careers intersecting with agencies such as the CIA and the State Department. Prominent appointees have worked on major initiatives involving leaders like Henry Kissinger, Zbigniew Brzezinski, Madeleine Albright, and Hillary Clinton, and have testified before committees including the Senate Armed Services Committee and the House Armed Services Committee.

Policy Initiatives and Major Programs

The office has driven strategic reviews such as the National Defense Strategy and supported force posture adjustments underpinning operations like Operation Inherent Resolve. It manages policy aspects of arms control negotiations with parties to the NPT and engages in security assistance programs linked to equipment transfers like the F-35 Lightning II and cooperative projects under frameworks such as the U.S.–Japan Alliance. Initiatives also span cyber deterrence, space policy tied to the USSF, and multilateral capacity-building through programs associated with NATO Partnership for Peace and the African Union.

Oversight, Coordination, and Interagency Relations

Oversight involves coordination with congressional oversight bodies including the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and operational checks with the DoD IG. The office routinely collaborates with interagency partners such as the Department of State, Department of the Treasury, Department of Energy, and intelligence organizations like the ODNI, as well as international partners including United Kingdom, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and regional organizations like ASEAN and African Union Commission. It engages in multilateral diplomacy through forums such as NATO Defence Planning Committee sessions, United Nations deliberations, and bilateral consultations exemplified by the U.S.–Republic of Korea Alliance and the U.S.–Israel strategic relationship.

Category:United States Department of Defense