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United States Department of Defense facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

The United States Department of Defense, also known as the DoD, is a department in the United States government that is in charge of the military of the United States. It was created in 1947 and its headquarters is in The Pentagon in Washington, D.C.. The person in charge of the Department of Defense is called the Secretary of Defense. The current Secretary of Defense is Lloyd Austin. The Secretary of Defense answers directly to the President.

The Department of Defense is made up of the Department of the Army, the Department of the Navy, the Department of the Air Force, the National Security Agency, and the Defense Intelligence Agency. (The Department of the Navy includes the Navy and the Marine Corps. Also, during time of war the United States Coast Guard is under the authority of the Department of Defense.)


Images for kids

  • Photograph of President Truman at his desk in the Oval Office, signing the National Security Act Amendments of 1949... - NARA - 200168

    President Truman signs the National Security Act Amendment of 1949

  • DoD Organization December 2013

    Department of Defense organizational chart (December 2013)

  • The Joint Staff Org Chart

    Joint Chiefs of Staff/Joint Staff organizational chart

  • GCCMAP 2019

    Combatant command areas of responsibility

  • Defense Spending as a Percent of GDP

    Defense Spending as a Percent of GDP (1792–2017)

  • United States Defense Outlays

    Total United States Defense Outlays 1962–2024, $millions (2019-2024 estimated)

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Departamento de Defensa de los Estados Unidos para niños

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