The United States Secretary of Defense is a critical Cabinet position, advising the President on military policy and overseeing key aspects of the U.S. military. The Secretary must be a civilian and is subject to confirmation hearings. The position was created in 1947 and is considered among the “Big Four” in the Presidential Cabinet.
The United States Secretary of Defense is the civilian head of the Department of Defense, a large government agency that deals with military matters. As the head of the Department of Defense, the United States Secretary of Defense advises the President of the United States on policy matters and also works with the Joint Chiefs of Staff, who command branches of the United States military. This position in the US government is widely regarded as critical, because the Secretary of Defense has enormous influence over the direction of US military policy.
This is a Cabinet position, which means that the President appoints the US Secretary of Defense and the US Congress must confirm the nomination. Undersecretaries assisting the Secretary of Defense are also subject to confirmation hearings. As with other Cabinet positions, the US Secretary of Defense is in the line of succession to the Presidency; in the unlikely event that the President, Vice President, Speaker of the House, President Pro Tempore of the Senate, Secretary of State, and Secretary of the Treasury were all incapacitated, the Secretary of Defense would become President of the United States.
As a member of the Cabinet, the Secretary of Defense of the United States must keep the President informed of important matters that may affect the security and well-being of the United States. Along with the President, the Secretary of Defense comprises the National Command Authority, which has the capability to launch nuclear weapons if the President and Secretary of Defense agree on such action. The Secretary of Defense also oversees research and development, training, policy, spending, and other key aspects of the U.S. military.
Politics is one of the most important aspects of the US Secretary of Defense’s job. In addition to formulating sound policies for the US military, the Secretary of Defense must also be able to enforce the policy and demonstrate the importance of that policy to the world. Policies managed by the Department of Defense can range from mundane matters, such as proper haircuts for members of the military, to critical decisions such as how to handle nuclear weapons.
The position was created in 1947 and, by law, the Secretary of Defense must be a civilian who hasn’t served in the military for at least a decade. Many Secretaries of Defense have served in the military, although it is not required, and as of 2008 only one former general, George Marshall, had served in this position. Because the US Secretary of Defense or SecDef wields so much power, the position is considered among the “Big Four” in the Presidential Cabinet.
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