Under Secretaries of Defense
| Secretary of Defense of the United States of America |
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Seal of the Department of Defense
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United States Department of Defense Office of the Secretary of Defense |
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| Style | Mr. Secretary |
| Member of | The Cabinet National Security Council |
| Reports to | The President |
| Seat | The Pentagon, Arlington County, Virginia, U.S. |
| Appointer | The President with Senate advice and consent |
| Term length | No fixed term |
| Constituting instrument |
10 U.S.C. § 113 50 U.S.C. § 401 |
| Precursor |
Secretary of War Secretary of the Navy |
| Inaugural holder | James Forrestal |
| Formation | September 17, 1947 |
| Succession | Sixth |
| Deputy | Deputy Secretary of Defense |
| Salary | Executive Schedule, Level 1 |
| Website | Defense |
The Secretary of Defense (SecDef) 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. This position corresponds to what is generally known as a Defense Minister in many other countries. The Secretary of Defense is appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate, and is by custom a member of the Cabinet and by law a member of the National Security Council.
Secretary of Defense is a statutory office, and the general provision in 10 U.S.C. § 113 provides that the Secretary of Defense has "authority, direction and control over the Department of Defense", and is further designated by the same statute as "the principal assistant to the President in all matters relating to the Department of Defense". Ensuring civilian control of the military, an individual may not be appointed as Secretary of Defense within seven years after relief from active duty as a commissioned officer of a regular (i.e., non-reserve) component of an armed force.
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