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Under Secretary of Defense for Policy
Michael D
Deputy The Principal Deputy Under Secretary
Appointed by The President
with the advice and consent of the Senate
Personal details
Website policy.defense.gov

The Under Secretary of Defense for Policy (USDP) is a high level civilian official in the United States Department of Defense. The Under Secretary of Defense for Policy is the principal staff assistant and adviser to both the Secretary of Defense and the Deputy Secretary of Defense for all matters concerning the formation of national security and defense policy.

The Under Secretary is normally appointed from civilian life by the President with the consent of the Senate to serve at the request of the President. The current Under Secretary is Mr. Michael D. Lumpkin, who was appointed by President Barack Obama on December 3, 2013 as an Assistant Secretary of Defense (ASD), but is also performing the duties of USD(P) following the departure of outgoing USD(P), Dr. James N. Miller on 8 January 2014.

Overview[]

The Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy is the principal staff element of the Secretary of Defense in the exercise of policy development, planning, resource management, fiscal, and program evaluation responsibilities.

With the rank of Under Secretary, the USD(P) is a Level III position within the Executive Schedule. Since January 2010, the annual rate of pay for Level III is $165,300.

Reporting Officials[]

Officials reporting to the USD(P) include:

The Task Force for Business and Stability Operations appears to report directly to the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy.

Budget[]

Budget Totals[]

The annual budget for the USD(P) is contained in the OSD's budget, under the Defense-Wide Operation and Maintenance (O&M) account. According to official projections, the budget for USD(P) is expected to see substantial cutbacks in FY11 and FY12.

USD Policy Budget, FY 10-12 ($ in thousands) [1]
Line Item FY10 Actual FY11 Estimate FY12 Request
Core OSD Operating Program[2]
Civilian Pay and Benefits, USD (P) 65,278 69,044 72,577
Program Structure[3]
Defense Critical Infrastructure Protection 18,253 17,475 9,032
Global Threat Management 11,397 10,731 3,636
Homeland Defense Support Activities 11,276 13,534 10,705
Policy Planning and Integration 18,473 17,818 5,553
Regional Security Affairs 9,716 9,257 4,691
Rewards Program 5,077 4,779 7,117
Travel 7,338 5,710 4,755
US Mission to NATO 6,415 6,615 3,319
Warfighting Support Activities 8,253 7,473 6,266
Overseas Contingency Operations[4]
OCO OUSD (Policy) 44,243 0 0
Totals
Total Budget 205,719 162,436 127,651

Budget Features[]

  • Defense Critical Infrastructure Program (DCIP): Oversees policy formulation and strategic planning for the Defense Critical Infrastructure Program, to include the Defense Industrial Base, which provides defense-related products and services that are essential to equip; mobilize; deploy and sustain military operations, enabling the Warfighter to minimize risk. Ensures the resiliency of networked infrastructure assets, whether owned or operated by the DoD or private industry, that are critical to executing military missions. Activities include the identification, assessment, monitoring, and risk management of cyber and physical infrastructure assets critical to the execution of the National Military Strategy. DCIP is run under the auspices of the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Homeland Defense and Americas' Security Affairs, where it is overseen by the DASD, Homeland Defense Strategy and Force Planning.
  • Global Threat Management: Provides policy, guidance and oversight on existential threats, supranational threats and non-state actor threats. OUSD(P) fulfills this global mission by crafting and implementing initiatives to expand cultural understanding throughout the world in governed and ungoverned areas to aid in preventing the expansion of terrorist cells. Utilizes table top exercises to enable Members of Congress, Administration Officials, and DoD personnel to form strategies in addressing catastrophic security events. Active research and involvement in the ever-changing cyber environment to protect security assets and prevent sophisticated threats in cyberspace from adversaries domestic and foreign. This funding appears to primarily support the programs of the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Global Strategic Affairs.
  • Homeland Defense Support Activities: Formulates policy and conducts DoD strategic planning for homeland defense and defense support of civil authorities, including installation preparedness; CBRNE preparedness and consequence management; border security and National Security Special Events. Supports the U.S. Northern Command in homeland defense strategy, and enhances the U.S. Southern Command mission through engagement with the ministries of defense of Western Hemisphere nations. It supervises intradepartmental and inter-agency coordination of the above issues. Conducts oversight of DoD processes to exercise force readiness through the National Exercise Program. Manages defense continuity and conducts crisis management. This funding appears to primarily support the programs of the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Homeland Defense and Americas' Security Affairs.
  • Policy Planning and Integration: OUSD(P) coordinates activities to aid in formulating strategies for DoD programs at national and international levels. This involves establishing and monitoring strategic direction, planning and force development as laid out in reporting documents such as the Quadrennial Defense Review (QDR) and Defense Planning and Programming Guidance (DPPG). OUSD(P) ensures decisions are not made in a vacuum by integrating policies and resources related to humanitarian efforts and their compliance with international laws. Initiates crisis decision-making in an interagency setting; creates forums to explore emerging national security issues; and examines the capabilities and limitations of national power through various instruments. Funding allows interagency integration and coordination to determine requirements for potential dual-use application of Defense assets.
  • Regional Security Affairs: Provides analysis of management of cultural situations in nation states and oversight to military joint ventures and cooperative DoD-Foreign government programs including educational, training, and developmental opportunities. Using a variety of resources, maintains regional expertise to support DoD leadership in forming and implementing strategies and contributes to coordinating holistic government engagement in programs and policies. Regional expertise provides the ability to: monitor and solve security cooperation issues, effectively execute coalition management, monitor international security operations, and further develop cooperative relations with foreign countries. This funding appears to primarily support the programs of the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Asian and Pacific Security Affairs and Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs
  • Rewards Program: Provides funds to publicize the program and pay rewards for information to disrupt international terrorist activities.
  • Travel: This funding supports travel in support of the OUSD(P) mission.
  • US Mission to NATO: Funding provides regional stability interface with US allies, NATO resolution of regional conflicts, response to terrorism and unstable conditions in fragile and failed nation states that include NATO involvement, weapons of mass destruction bilateral measures, and support of overseas facilities.
  • Warfighting Support Activities: OUSD(P) provides resources to orchestrate the development of special technologies and capabilities. It sustains these efforts by conducting in-depth analyses of the assignment of additional military and civilian personnel to long-term, non-intelligence positions in high-priority countries. Prepares the military for confronting threats in culturally diverse countries, supports policies and strategies that develop skills unique to counterinsurgency and stabilization efforts; reinforces and builds international support over shared security concerns, homeland security, counterterrorism and other critical nation alliances, and promotes humanitarian activities through military resources in a non-combative manner. Provides funds to pay rewards for information to disrupt international terrorist activities and enhance US security capabilities. This funding appears to primarily support the programs of the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations/Low Intensity Conflict & Interdependent Capabilities

Office holders[]

Under Secretaries of Defense for Policy[5]
Portrait Name Date Appointed* Tenure SecDef(s) Served Under President(s) Served Under
Stanley Rogers Resor, official photo Stanley Rogers Resor July 12, 1978 August 14, 1978 - April 1, 1979 Harold Brown Jimmy Carter
Robert W. Komer September 27, 1979 October 24, 1979 - January 20, 1981 Harold Brown Jimmy Carter
Fred C. Ikle - April 2, 1981 - February 19, 1988 Caspar W. Weinberger
Frank C. Carlucci III
Ronald Reagan
Paul Wolfowitz Paul Wolfowitz - May 15, 1989 - January 19, 1993 Richard B. Cheney George H.W. Bush
Frank G. Wisner February 23, 1993 July 6, 1993 - June 9, 1994 Leslie Aspin, Jr.
William J. Perry
Bill Clinton
Walter B. Slocombe, Under Secretary of Defense for Policy, official portrait Walter B. Slocombe July 13, 1994 September 15, 1994 - January 19, 2001 William J. Perry
William S. Cohen
Bill Clinton
Douglas Feith Douglas Feith April 30, 2001 July 16, 2001 - August 8, 2005 Donald H. Rumsfeld George W. Bush
Eric S. Edelman 050805-A-0607L-001 Eric S. Edelman August 9, 2005 February 9, 2006 - January 20, 2009 Donald H. Rumsfeld
Robert M. Gates
George W. Bush
Michele Flournoy official portrait Michele Flournoy [6] January 8, 2009 February 9, 2009 - February 3, 2012 Robert M. Gates
Leon Panetta
Barack Obama
Defense.gov News Photo 090410-A-6816H-003 James N. Miller February 18, 2012 February 18, 2012 - January 8, 2014 Leon Panetta
Chuck Hagel
Barack Obama

Principal Deputy[]

The Principal Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Policy is the chief staff assistant to the USD(P). Originally established as the Deputy Under Secretary of Defense (Policy) by the National Defense Authorization Act for FY 1992-93 (P.L. 102-190), the post was re-designated Principal Deputy Under Secretary of Defense (Policy), or PDUSD(P) in December 1999 by DoD Directive 5111.3.[6] The PDUSD(P) provides advice and assistance to the Secretary of Defense, Deputy Secretary of Defense, and USD(P) on national security policy, military strategy, and defense policy.

Principal Deputy Under Secretaries of Defense for Policy[5]
Name Tenure USD(P) Served Under SecDef(s) Served Under President(s) Served Under
I. Lewis Libby August 12, 1992 - January 10, 1993 Paul Wolfowitz Richard B. Cheney George H.W. Bush
Walter B. Slocombe June 1, 1993 - September 14, 1994 Frank G. Wisner Leslie Aspin, Jr.
William J. Perry
Bill Clinton
Jan M. Lodal October 3, 1994 - September 30, 1998 Walter B. Slocombe William J. Perry
William S. Cohen
Bill Clinton
James M. Bodner October 1, 1998 - January 19, 2001 Walter B. Slocombe William S. Cohen Bill Clinton
Stephen A. Cambone July 25, 2001 - July 1, 2002 Douglas Feith Donald H. Rumsfeld George W. Bush
Christopher "Ryan" Henry February 7, 2003 - August 2008[7] Douglas Feith
Eric S. Edelman
Donald H. Rumsfeld
Robert M. Gates
George W. Bush
James N. Miller April 2, 2009 - February 18, 2012 Michele Flournoy Robert M. Gates Barack Obama

Notes and references[]

  1. "Fiscal Year (FY) 2012 Budget Estimates, Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD)". Under Secretary of Defense (Comptroller), OSD. 2011. http://comptroller.defense.gov/defbudget/fy2012/budget_justification/pdfs/01_Operation_and_Maintenance/O_M_VOL_1_PARTS/O_M_VOL_1_BASE_PARTS/OSD_OP-5_FY_2012.pdf. Retrieved 2011-08-29. 
  2. Fiscal Year (FY) 2012 Budget Estimates, Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD), p.664
  3. Fiscal Year (FY) 2012 Budget Estimates, Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD), p.687-8
  4. Fiscal Year (FY) 2012 Budget Estimates, Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD), p.714
  5. 5.0 5.1 "Department of Defense Key Officials". Historical Office, OSD. 2004. http://osdhistory.defense.gov/docs/DOD%20Key%20Officials%201947-2004.pdf. Retrieved 2011-02-01. 
  6. 6.0 6.1 Moore, Sara (January 16, 2009). "Defense Policy Nominee Pledges Work on Iraq, Afghanistan, National Security". American Forces Press Service. http://www.defenselink.mil/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=52720. Retrieved 21 January 2009. 
  7. http://integrator.hanscom.af.mil/2008/October/10022008/10022008-14.htm
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