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The Secretary of Defense, or SecDef, is the head of the Department of Defense. This position is currently held by former CIA Director Leon Panetta after Robert Gates retired on July 1, 2011.

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As of January 2011, Robert M. Gates is the Secretary of Defense.

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The Secretary of Defense is Robert Gates.

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Robert Gates.

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Q: Who heads the Department of Defense?
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Related questions

Who is in charge of the department of war to this day?

The Department of War was essentially replaced by the Department of Defense in 1947. The Secretary of Defense heads the Deparement, and the position is currently held by Robert M. Gates.


What are the department heads also known as in the executive branch?

Heads of the departments that make up the President's Cabinet are called Secretaries. For example the Department of Labor is headed by the Secretary of Labor, and the Department of Defense is headed by the Secretary of Defense (also abbreviated as SECDEF).


What other position do the executive department heads hold?

Except for the Attorney General, executive department heads are called Secretaries such as Secretary of State,Secretary of Defense, Secretary of Treasury, etc.


The president is given advice and assistance from the heads of how many members?

14. The Department of Agriculture, Department of Commerce, Department of Defense, Department of Education, Department of Energy, Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Housing and Urban Development, Department of the Interior, Department of Justice, Department of Labor, Department of State, Department of Transportation, Department of the Treasury, Department of Veterans Affairs


Who controls all decisions of the Department of Defense?

The Department of Defense is run by the Secretary of Defense.


Is the head of the federal department in the president's cabinet?

That depends on the department. If the department is a Cabinet Level department (Defense, Interior, etc.) the head is a cabinet secretary, while other departments (Postal Service, Fish and Wildlife Department) are not Cabinet Level and therefore their heads are not cabinet secretaries.


What is the nickname for the Department of Defense?

The Department of Defense is often referred to as The DOD.


What is the name of the cabinet department that is charge of the US military?

The Department of Defense is in charge of the U.S. military.


What is the Pentagon used for?

The building called the Pentagon is used as the headquarters of the US Department of Defense. Therefore it houses the Secretary of Defense, the heads of the Army, Navy and Air Force, and the numerous organizations and people needed to manage the defense establishment of the United States.


What was the original name for the Department of Defense?

What is now called the Department of Defense was originally named the Department of War.


What is the difference between the State Department and the Department of Defense?

The State Department deals with diplomacy while the Department of Defense affiliated with the military.


Who controls department of defense?

Secretary of Defense Dr. Robert M. Gates is the current chief of the Department of Defense.