How is the Department of Defense run?

Answer 1

Other than the President (who serves as Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces), the most powerful DoD official is the Secretary of Defense. The Secretary is superior to the Joint Chiefs of Staff (the highest-ranking officers from each branch of the military). The current Secretary of Defense is Robert M. Gates, who was originally appointed by President George W. Bush after the firing of Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and was asked by President Barack Obama to continue as Secretary of Defense in the new administration.

Answer 2

The U.S. secretary of defense oversees the country's Department of Defense, which is responsible for the country's concern with the armed services and military matters. The main job of the U.S. secretary of defense is to plan, develop and execute policies that concern the military affairs and national security of the country. Also, such an official is responsible for the department's resource management and fiscal and program evaluation.

The rest of the work is a very complicated process. It takes many leaders to mantain the rest of the defense services working. The command chain is a system whereby authority passes down from the top through a series of executive positions or military ranks in which each is accountable to the one directly superior.

The secretary reports to the President.

Answer 3

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

Answer 4

Robert Gates is the Secretary of Defense.