The Secretary of Defense is the leader and chief executive officer of the Department of Defense, an Executive Department of the Government of the United States of America. The Secretary of Defense's power over the United States military is second only to that of the President.
Ashton B. Carter was sworn in Feb 17, 2015, as the 25th Secretary of Defense. The Secretary of Defense is the leader and chief executive officer of the Department of Defense, an Executive Department of the Government of the United States of America. Secretary Ash Carter's power over the United States military is second only to that of the President.
Chuck Hagel was sworn in as the 24th Secretary of Defense on February 27, 2013 becoming the first enlisted combat veteran to lead the Department of Defense.
Secretary Hagel was born on October 4, 1946 in North Platte, Nebraska, the eldest of four brothers. He joined the United States Army and volunteered to go to Vietnam, rising to the rank of Sergeant and serving as an infantry squad leader...
Dr. Mark T. Esper became the Acting Secretary of Defense June 24, 2019, and was sworn in as the 27th Secretary of Defense July 23, 2019. Prior to this assignment he served as the 23rd Secretary of the Army. The former Raytheon Co. vice president, who also worked on Capitol Hill, previously served as the deputy assistant secretary of defense (negotiations policy) and earlier on the Army staff...
Barbara M. Barrett is the 25th Secretary of the Air Force and leads the affairs of the Department of the Air Force, which is comprised of the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Space Force. She is responsible for organizing, training, equipping, and providing for the welfare of 685,000 active duty, Guard, Reserve and civilian Airmen and their families. She oversees the Air Force’s annual budget of more...
The Secretary of the Navy Safety Awareness Campaign fosters an environment requiring all Sailors, Marines, and Civilians to utilize proper risk management, problem-solving, and proactive thinking to develop a reliable reduction of mishaps to improve readiness.
The Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps is selected by the Commandant of the Marine Corps to serve as his advisor and as the preeminent and highest ranking enlisted Marine with a protocol equivalency of a three-star general officer. The Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps typically serves a four-year term, though his service is at the discretion of the Commandant of the Marine Corps. 'Sergeant...
