Under Secretary of Defense for Policy

Under Secretary of Defense for Policy USD(P)
Flag of an Under Secretary of Defense
Incumbent Brian P. McKeon since June 11, 2016
Under Secretary of Defense for Policy
Style	The Honorable (formal address in writing)
Reports to	Secretary of Defense Deputy Secretary of Defense
Nominator	Acting USDP
Appointer	The President with the advice and consent of the Senate
Term length	No fixed term
Inaugural holder	Stanley Rogers Resor
Formation	1978
Succession	6th in SecDef succession
Deputy	The Principal Deputy Under Secretary
Salary	Level III of the Executive Schedule
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 Acting Under Secretary of Defense for Policy is Brian P. McKeon, whose appointment was signed by President Barack Obama as the Principal Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Policy, and now Acting as the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy. Brian P. McKeon is a well respected DOD Official serving the OSD Policy Mission.

Mission: The mission of the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy is to consistently provide responsive, forward-thinking, and insightful policy advice and support to the Secretary of Defense, and the Department of Defense, in alignment with national security objectives.

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, the rank of Under Secretary, the USD(P) is a Level III position within the Executive Schedule.

Reporting Officials

Officials reporting to the USD(P) include:

• Principal Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Policy
• Assistant Secretary of Defense for Strategy, Plans, & Capabilities
• Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs
• Assistant Secretary of Defense for Homeland Defense and Global Security
• Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations & Low Intensity Conflict
• Assistant Secretary of Defense for Asian and Pacific Security Affairs

Supporting Agencies

• Director, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA)
• Director, Defense Security Cooperation Agency
• Director, Defense Technology Security Agency

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.

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	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	-	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	July 13, 1994	September 15, 1994 - January 19, 2001	William J. Perry William S. Cohen	Bill Clinton
	Douglas Feith	April 30, 2001	July 16, 2001 - August 8, 2005	Donald H. Rumsfeld	George W. Bush
	Eric S. Edelman	August 9, 2005	February 9, 2006 - January 20, 2009	Donald H. Rumsfeld Robert M. Gates	George W. Bush
	Michele Flournoy [6]	January 8, 2009	February 9, 2009 - February 3, 2012	Robert M. Gates Leon Panetta	Barack Obama
	James N. Miller	February 18, 2012	February 18, 2012 - January 8, 2014	Leon Panetta Chuck Hagel	Barack Obama
	Michael D. Lumpkin	January 9, 2014	January 9, 2014 - June 24, 2014	Chuck Hagel	Barack Obama
	Christine E. Wormuth	June 19, 2014	June 23, 2014 - June 10, 2016	Chuck Hagel Ash Carter	Barack Obama
	Brian P. Mckeon	June 10, 2016	Acting ~ Until	Chuck Hagel Ash Carter	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.

Notes and references

Senior officials in the United States Department of Defense
Secretary of Defense Ash Carter Deputy Secretary of Defense Robert Work Secretaries of the Military Departments Secretary of the Army: Eric Fanning Secretary of the Navy: Ray Mabus Secretary of the Air Force: Deborah James Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Joseph Dunford, USMC Under Secretaries of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics: Frank Kendall Policy: James Miller Comptroller/Chief Financial Officer: Robert Hale Personnel and Readiness: Jessica Wright (Acting) Intelligence: Michael Vickers Deputy Chief Management Officer Elizabeth McGrath Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Paul Selva, USAF Chiefs of the Military Services Chief of Staff of the Army: Mark Milley Commandant of the Marine Corps: Robert Neller Chief of Naval Operations: John Richardson Chief of Staff of the Air Force: David Goldfein Chief of the National Guard Bureau Frank Grass, USA

United States Department of Defense
Headquarters: The Pentagon Ashton Carter, Secretary of Defense Robert Work, Deputy Secretary of Defense
Office of the Secretary of Defense (including Defense Agencies and DoD Field Activities) Deputy Secretary of Defense Deputy's Advisory Working Group Office of Net Assessment Special Access Program Oversight Committee Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics Director, Defense Research and Engineering Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency Missile Defense Agency Defense Contract Management Agency Defense Logistics Agency Defense Technical Information Center Defense Threat Reduction Agency Office of Economic Adjustment Defense Acquisition University Defense Acquisition Board Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Defense Security Cooperation Agency Defense Prisoner of War/Missing Personnel Office Defense Policy Board Advisory Committee Under Secretary of Defense (Comptroller) Defense Contract Audit Agency Defense Finance and Accounting Service Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness Defense Commissary Agency Department of Defense Education Activity DoD Human Resources Activity Military Health System Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences Defense Equal Opportunity Management Institute Office of the Chancellor for Education and Professional Development Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence Defense Intelligence Agency Defense Security Service Defense Information Systems Agency National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency National Reconnaissance Office National Security Agency (Director) Assistant Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs Defense Media Activity (American Forces Press Service, American Forces Radio and Television Service, Stars and Stripes, The Pentagon Channel) General Counsel of the Department of Defense Defense Legal Services Agency Director of Administration and Management Pentagon Force Protection Agency Washington Headquarters Services
Military Departments Department of the Army Secretary of the Army The Secretariat: Under Secretary of the Army Assistant Secretary for Acquisition, Logistics, and Technology Assistant Secretary for Civil Works Assistant Secretary (Financial Management and Comptroller) Assistant Secretary of the Army for Installations, Energy and Environment Assistant Secretary of the Army for Manpower and Reserve Affairs General Counsel of the Army The Administrative Assistant The Army Staff: Chief of Staff of the Army Vice Chief of Staff of the Army Sergeant Major of the Army Deputy Chief of Staff G-8 Chief of Chaplains Judge Advocate General Provost Marshal General Surgeon General U.S. Army field organizations: see Structure of the United States Army Department of the Navy Secretary of the Navy The Secretariat: Under Secretary of the Navy Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Financial Management and Comptroller) Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Installations and Environment) Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Manpower and Reserve Affairs) Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Research, Development and Acquisitions) General Counsel of the Navy Judge Advocate General Naval Criminal Investigative Service Naval Inspector General Headquarters Marine Corps: Commandant of the Marine Corps Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps Chaplain U.S. Marine Corps field organizations: see Organization of the United States Marine Corps Office of the Chief of Naval Operations: Chief of Naval Operations Vice Chief of Naval Operations Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy Director of Naval Reactors Chief of Chaplains Chief of Naval Personnel Surgeon General United States Navy field organizations: see Structure of the United States Navy Department of the Air Force Secretary of the Air Force The Secretariat: Under Secretary of the Air Force Assistant Secretary of the Air Force (Acquisition) Assistant Secretary of the Air Force (Financial Management & Comptroller) Assistant Secretary of the Air Force (Installations, Environment & Logistics) Assistant Secretary of the Air Force (Manpower & Reserve Affairs) General Counsel of the Air Force Air Force Office of Special Investigations The Air Staff: Chief of Staff of the Air Force Vice Chief of Staff of the Air Force Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force Chief of Chaplains Chief of Safety Chief Scientist Judge Advocate General Surgeon General U.S. Air Force field organizations: Major Commands Direct Reporting Units Field Operating Agencies
Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman Joint Requirements Oversight Council Director of the Joint Staff Joint Staff National Military Command Center Alternate National Military Command Center National Defense University
Combatant Commands Africa Command Central Command European Command Northern Command Pacific Command Southern Command Special Operations Command (Joint Special Operations Command) Strategic Command (Cyber Command) Transportation Command
National Guard Bureau Chief of the National Guard Bureau Air National Guard Army National Guard
Office of the Inspector General Defense Criminal Investigative Service