Under Secretary of Defense for Policy facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Under Secretary of Defense for Policy
Flag of an Under Secretary of Defense
Seal of the Department of Defense
Incumbent Amanda J. Dory since 27 April 2024
United States Department of Defense Office of the Secretary of Defense
Style	Madam Under Secretary
Reports to	Secretary of Defense Deputy Secretary of Defense
Appointer	The President with Senate advice and consent
Term length	No fixed term
Formation	1978
First holder	Stanley Rogers Resor
Succession	5th in SecDef succession
Deputy	Principal Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Policy
Salary	Executive Schedule, level III

The United States Under Secretary of Defense for Policy (often called USDP) is a very important civilian leader in the United States Department of Defense. This person helps and advises the Secretary of Defense and the Deputy Secretary of Defense. Their main job is to help create and guide all plans for America's safety and defense.

The President of the United States chooses the Under Secretary. The Senate must agree with the President's choice. Currently, Amanda J. Dory is the acting Under Secretary. She started this role on April 27, 2024.

Understanding the Under Secretary's Role

The Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy is key to how the Secretary of Defense makes decisions. This office helps create new policies, plan for the future, and manage resources. The Under Secretary holds a high rank in the government.

Key Teams Reporting to the Under Secretary

Several important teams work under the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy. These teams focus on different areas of national security.

Strategy, Plans, & Capabilities

The Assistant Secretary of Defense for Strategy, Plans, and Capabilities (ASD(SPC)) works on big-picture defense plans. This includes leading the National Defense Strategy. They also look at new military abilities and how to work with other countries.

• The team for Force Development helps decide how the military should grow. They make sure the armed forces have the right tools and training. This helps the military handle new challenges.
• The team for Global Partnerships creates policies for working with other countries. This includes helping nations in need.
• The team for Plans and Posture helps decide where U.S. forces should be around the world. They also plan for military operations.
• The team for Strategy helps write the country's main defense plan. They make sure that money spent on defense supports this plan.

International Security Affairs

The Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs (ASD(ISA)) focuses on global safety. They create defense policies and manage programs with other countries. This includes working with nations in Europe, NATO, Russia, the Middle East, Africa, and the Western Hemisphere.

• The team for African Affairs advises on defense plans for Sub-Sahara Africa.
• The team for the Middle East advises on defense plans for the Middle East and North Africa.
• The team for Europe and NATO advises on defense plans for Europe and NATO.
• The team for Russia, Ukraine, and Eurasia advises on defense plans for these regions. This also includes agreements about weapons.
• The Secretary of Defense Representative works with the U.S. Mission to NATO.
• Another Secretary of Defense Representative works with the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe.

Homeland Defense & Hemispheric Affairs

The Assistant Secretary of Defense for Homeland Defense and Hemispheric Affairs (ASD(HD&HA)) handles security within the U.S. and nearby regions. This includes protecting against dangerous weapons and cyber attacks. They also plan for how the military helps during emergencies.

• The team for Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction creates plans to protect against chemical, biological, and nuclear threats.
• The team for Homeland Defense Integration helps the military support civilian authorities. This means the military can help during disasters or other emergencies.
• The team for Defense Continuity and Mission Assurance develops plans for the government to keep working during a crisis. They also focus on protecting important national systems.

Special Operations & Low Intensity Conflict

The Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations/Low-Intensity Conflict (ASD(SO/LIC)) deals with special military operations. This includes fighting terrorism and other specific types of conflicts. They also oversee resources for these special missions.

• The team for Counternarcotics and Global Threats works on policies to stop illegal drugs and other worldwide dangers.
• The team for Stability and Humanitarian Affairs focuses on helping stabilize areas after conflict. They also lead efforts for humanitarian aid.
• The team for Special Operations and Combatting Terrorism creates policies for fighting terrorism and other specific military actions. They also oversee the United States Special Operations Command.

Indo-Pacific Security Affairs

The Assistant Secretary of Defense for Indo-Pacific Security Affairs (ASD(IPSA)) focuses on security in the Asia-Pacific region. They create defense policies and manage cooperation programs with countries there.

• The team for East Asia advises on defense plans for countries like Taiwan, Japan, and South Korea.
• The team for China advises on defense plans and relations with China.
• The team for South and Southeast Asia advises on defense plans for countries like India, Indonesia, and Australia.
• The team for Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Central Asia advises on defense plans for these nations.

Space Policy

The Assistant Secretary of Defense for Space Policy (ASD(SP)) oversees military policies related to space. This includes how the military uses space for defense. They also advise the Secretary of Defense on cyber issues.

• The team for Nuclear and CWMD Policy advises on nuclear weapons policy and arms control. They also work on policies to counter weapons of mass destruction.
• The team for Cyber Policy advises on rules and plans for military activities in cyberspace.
• The team for Space and Missile Defense advises on policies for space and defense against missiles.

Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency

The Director of the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency works to find and bring home U.S. military personnel. These are people listed as prisoners of war (POW) or missing in action (MIA) from past conflicts.

Defense Security Cooperation Agency

The Director of the Defense Security Cooperation Agency helps other countries. They provide financial and technical aid. They also help transfer defense equipment and offer training to allied nations.

Defense Technology Security Administration

The Director of the Defense Technology Security Administration creates rules for sharing defense technology. They make sure that sensitive defense goods and services are transferred safely to other countries.

List of Under Secretaries of Defense for Policy

No.	Portrait	Under Secretary	Took office	Left office	Time in office	Secretary of Defense	President	Ref(s)
1		Stanley Rogers Resor	14 August 1978	1 April 1979	230 days	Harold Brown	Jimmy Carter	-
2		Robert Komer	24 October 1979	20 January 1981	1 year, 88 days	Harold Brown	Jimmy Carter	-
3		Fred Iklé	2 April 1981	19 February 1988	6 years, 323 days	Caspar Weinberger Frank Carlucci	Ronald Reagan	-
4		Paul Wolfowitz	15 May 1989	19 January 1993	3 years, 249 days	Dick Cheney	George H. W. Bush	-
5		Frank G. Wisner	6 July 1993	9 June 1994	338 days	Les Aspin William Perry	Bill Clinton	-
6		Walter B. Slocombe	15 September 1994	19 January 2001	6 years, 126 days	William Perry William Cohen	Bill Clinton	-
-		Peter F. Verga Acting	20 January 2001	16 July 2001	177 days	Donald Rumsfeld	George W. Bush	-
7		Douglas J. Feith	16 July 2001	8 August 2005	4 years, 23 days	Donald Rumsfeld	George W. Bush	-
8		Eric S. Edelman	9 February 2006	20 January 2009	2 years, 346 days	Donald Rumsfeld Robert Gates	George W. Bush	-
9		Michèle Flournoy	9 February 2009	3 February 2012	2 years, 359 days	Robert Gates Leon Panetta	Barack Obama
9		James N. Miller	18 February 2012	8 January 2014	1 year, 324 days	Leon Panetta Chuck Hagel	Barack Obama	-
-		Michael D. Lumpkin Acting	9 January 2014	23 June 2014	165 days	Chuck Hagel	Barack Obama	-
10		Christine Wormuth	23 June 2014	10 June 2016	1 year, 353 days	Chuck Hagel Ash Carter	Barack Obama	-
-		Brian P. McKeon Acting	10 June 2016	20 January 2017	224 days	Ash Carter	Barack Obama	-
-		Theresa Whelan Acting	20 January 2017	7 June 2017	138 days	James Mattis	Donald Trump
-		Robert Karem Acting	7 June 2017	27 October 2017	142 days	James Mattis	Donald Trump	-
-		David Trachtenberg Acting	27 October 2017	8 January 2018	73 days	James Mattis	Donald Trump	-
11		John Rood	9 January 2018	28 February 2020	2 years, 50 days	James Mattis Mark Esper	Donald Trump	-
-		James Anderson Acting	1 March 2020	10 November 2020	254 days	Mark Esper	Donald Trump
-		Anthony Tata Acting	10 November 2020	20 January 2021	71 days	Christopher C. Miller (acting)	Donald Trump
-		Amanda J. Dory Acting	20 January 2021	28 April 2021	98 days	Lloyd Austin	Joe Biden	-
12		Colin Kahl	28 April 2021	17 July 2023	2 years, 80 days	Lloyd Austin	Joe Biden	-
-		Sasha Baker Acting	18 July 2023	26 April 2024	283 days	Lloyd Austin	Joe Biden	-
-		Amanda J. Dory Acting	27 April 2024	Incumbent	1 year, 91 days	Lloyd Austin	Joe Biden	-

Principal Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Policy

The Principal Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Policy (PDUSD(P)) is the main helper to the Under Secretary. This role was created in 1992. The PDUSD(P) gives advice to the Secretary of Defense, Deputy Secretary of Defense, and the Under Secretary. This advice covers national security plans and military strategies.

No.	Portrait	Deputy Under Secretary	Took office	Left office	Time in office	Secretary of Defense	President	Ref(s)
1		I. Lewis Libb	12 August 1992	10 January 1993	151 days	Paul Wolfowitz Dick Cheney	George H. W. Bush	-
2		Walter B. Slocombe	1 June 1993	14 September 1994	1 year, 105 days	Les Aspin William J. Perry	Bill Clinton	-
3		Jan M. Lodal	3 October 1994	30 September 1998	3 years, 362 days	William J. Perry William S. Cohen	Bill Clinton	-
4		James M. Bodner	1 October 1998	19 January 2001	2 years, 110 days	William S. Cohen	Bill Clinton	-
5		Stephen A. Cambone	25 July 2001	1 July 2002	341 days	Donald H. Rumsfeld	George W. Bush	-
5		Christopher Ryan Henry	7 February 2003	August 2008	~5 years, 190 days	Donald H. Rumsfeld Robert M. Gates	George W. Bush	-
-		Peter F. Verga Acting	August 2008	1 April 2009	~229 days	Robert M. Gates	George W. Bush Barack Obama	-
6		James N. Miller	2 April 2009	24 May 2012	3 years, 52 days	Robert M. Gates	Barack Obama	-
7		Kathleen Hicks	24 May 2012	2 July 2013	1 year, 39 days	Chuck Hagel	Barack Obama	-
8		Brian P. McKeon	28 July 2014	10 June 2016	1 year, 318 days	Ash Carter	Barack Obama	-
-		David B. Shear Acting	10 June 2016	20 January 2017	224 days	Ash Carter	Barack Obama	-
9		David Trachtenberg	27 October 2017	19 July 2019	1 year, 265 days	James Mattis	Donald Trump	-
-		James Anderson Acting	23 July 2019	24 April 2020	276 days	Mark Esper	Donald Trump	-
-		Daniel R. Green Acting	24 April 2020	8 June 2020	45 days	Mark Esper	Donald Trump	-
10		James Anderson	8 June 2020	10 November 2020	155 days	Mark Esper	Donald Trump	-
-		Thomas M. Williams Acting	10 November 2020	20 January 2021	71 days	Christopher C. Miller (acting)	Donald Trump	-
-		Jennifer C. Walsh Acting	20 January 2021	28 April 2021	98 days	Lloyd Austin	Joe Biden	-
-		Amanda J. Dory Acting	29 April 2021	23 August 2021	116 days	Lloyd Austin	Joe Biden	-
-		Mara Karlin Acting	23 August 2021	14 February 2022	175 days	Lloyd Austin	Joe Biden	-
11		Sasha Baker	14 February 2022	26 April 2024	2 years, 72 days	Lloyd Austin	Joe Biden	-
-		Melissa Dalton Acting	26 April 2024	29 May 2024	33 days	Lloyd Austin	Joe Biden	-
-		Cara L. Abercrombie Acting	29 May 2024	Incumbent	1 year, 59 days	Lloyd Austin	Joe Biden	-