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THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
(DOD)
In 1949 Congress amended the National
Security Act of 1947 to create the Department of
Defense (DOD), In enacting this amendment,
Congress set forth the following three primary
provisions:
The establishment of a Department of
Defense, including the three Military
Departments of the Army, the Navy
(including naval aviation and the United
States Marine Corps), and the Air Force
under the direction, authority, and control
of the Secretary of Defense
The separate organization of each military
department under its own Secretary
The establishment of unified or specified
combatant commands and a clear and
direct line of command to such commands
We discussed the awesome power of the
President of the United States as Commander in
Chief earlier in this chapter. The Commander in
Chief must be kept abreast of all matters affecting
the ability of the Department of Defense to
properly defend the United States and its allies.
The Department of Defense is the largest
government agency in the United States. It spends
a major portion of the national budget and
employs nearly 4 million people (military and
civilian). The DOD was crested to carry out the
military policies of the United States.
MISSION
Simply stated, the mission of the DOD is to
maintain and employ armed forces to accomplish
the following:
Support and defend the Constitution of the
United States against all enemies
Protect the United States, its possessions,
and areas vital to its interests
Advance the policies and interests of the
United States
Safeguard the internal security of the
United States
SECRETARY OF DEFENSE
(SECDEF)
The Secretary of Defense (SECDEF) functions
as a member of both the President’s cabinet and
the National Security Council. The Secretary of
Defense is delegated all the functions vested in the
President regarding the DOD, including powers,
duties, and authorities. In this capacity, SECDEF
exercises “direction, authority, and control over
the Department of Defense” and reports to the
President on all military matters concerning the
department. SECDEF, therefore, serves as the
principal assistant to the President in all matters
relating to the DOD. The Deputy Secretary of
Defense assists SECDEF by supervising and
coordinating the activities of the department and
substituting for SECDEF during absence or
disability.
STRATEGIC NUCLEAR
DETERRENCE
The United States uses a TRIAD of three
closely related strategic nuclear forces as a
deterrent against a potential enemy. These
nuclear forces consist of the U.S. Navy’s SEA-
LAUNCHED BALLISTIC MISSILES and the
U.S. Air Force’s INTERCONTINENTAL BAL-
LISTIC MISSILES (ICBMs) and LONG-
RANGE BOMBERS.
The probability of a strategic nuclear attack
on the United States is very low. However, should
we ever experience such an attack, the conse-
quences would be catastrophic. The TRIAD has
been developed and maintained to deter nuclear
attack. Similarly, the Soviet Union has developed
and is maintaining powerful strategic forces of its
own. Our objective is to obtain a condition of
essential equivalence—a condition in which the
following situations occur:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Soviet strategic nuclear forces do not
become effective instruments of political
leverage or coercion.
Nuclear stability is maintained.
Advantages in strategic force characteristics
possessed by the Soviets are offset by
advantages of the United States in other
characteristics.
U.S. strategic forces are not, nor are they
perceived to be, inferior in performance to
those of the Soviet Union.
The credibility of our TRIAD as perceived by
potential opponents and allies is very important.
If they perceive that our TRIAD does not exist
or is weak, regardless of the facts, it will no longer
serve to deter an attack.
This condition of essential equivalence should
produce a mutual deterrence that is so stable it
will not be upset in a crisis. The United States
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