Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence

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United States Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence & Security
Seal of the Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence & Security
Flag of an Under Secretary of Defense
Incumbent Ronald Moultrie since June 1, 2021
United States Department of Defense Office of the Secretary of Defense
Style	Mr. Under Secretary
Reports to	Secretary of Defense Deputy Secretary of Defense
Nominator	Secretary of Defense
Appointer	President of the United States with Senate advice and consent
Formation	11 March 2003
First holder	Stephen Cambone
Succession	Fourth in Secretary of Defense succession
Deputy	Principal Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence & Security
Salary	Executive Schedule, Level III
Website	ousdi.defense.gov

The under secretary of defense for intelligence & security or USD(I&S) is a high-ranking civilian position in the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) within the U.S. Department of Defense that acts as the principal civilian advisor and deputy to the secretary of defense and deputy secretary of defense on matters relating to . The under secretary is appointed as a civilian by the president and confirmed by the Senate to serve at the pleasure of the president.^[1]

In 2019, Congress renamed the office to Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence and Security or USD(I&S) as part of the FY2020 National Defense Authorization Act.^[2][3]

Overview[]

The Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence & Security (OUSD(I&S)) is the principal staff element of the Department of Defense for all matters regarding intelligence, counterintelligence, security, sensitive activities, and other intelligence & security related matters. As the secretary of defense's representative, the USD(I) exercises oversight over, among others, the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA), the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO), the National Security Agency (NSA), and the (DCSA). In addition, the Under Secretary is also dual-hatted, serving as the Director of Defense Intelligence (DDI) under the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI);^[4] in this capacity, the Under Secretary is principal defense intelligence & security advisor to the DNI.^[3] With the rank of Under Secretary, the USD(I&S) is a (DISES) Level III position within the Executive Schedule. Since January 2020, the annual rate of pay for Level III is $181,500.

History[]

The position of under secretary of defense for intelligence was originally created by the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2003 in the aftermath of the September 11 terror attacks to better coordinate Department-wide intelligence & security activities. It also became second in the line of succession for the secretary of Defense, after the deputy secretary of defense, after an executive order was made by President George W. Bush on 22 December 2005. When it was created, the legislation described it as taking precedence in the Department behind the under secretary for personnel and readiness.^[1][5]

On 23 November 2005, a Department of Defense Directive was made by Secretary Rumsfeld that stated that the under secretary shall serve as the secretary's primary representative to the Office of the Director of National Intelligence. It also stated the under secretary shall provide policy and oversight on the training and career development of personnel in the Department of Defense's counterterrorism, intelligence, and security components. The under secretary has the duty of finding candidates to be nominated to serve as directors of the Defense Intelligence Agency, the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, the National Reconnaissance Office, the National Security Agency, and the and directly overseeing their performance.

The USD(I&S) became a dual-hatted position as director of defense intelligence, acting as the primary advisor to the DNI. This additional position follows a May 2007 memorandum of agreement between Secretary of Defense Robert Gates and Director of National Intelligence John Michael McConnell to create the position.^[4]

Reporting officials[]

Officials reporting to the USD(I&S) include:

• Director for defense intelligence (warfighter support)
• Director for defense intelligence (intelligence & security)
• Director for defense intelligence (technical collection & special programs)
• Director for defense intelligence (intelligence strategy, programs & resources)
• Director, Defense Intelligence Agency
• Director, National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency
• Director, National Security Agency/Central Security Service
• Director, National Reconnaissance Office
• Director, Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency
• Director, Defense Information Systems Agency

Office of the Under Secretary[]

The under secretary leads the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence & Security (OUSD(I&S)). A unit of the Office of the Secretary of Defense, OUSD(I) exercises planning, policy, and strategic oversight over all Department of Defense intelligence, counterintelligence, and security matters. OUSD(I) serves as the primary representative of the Defense Department to the director of national intelligence and other members of the United States Intelligence Community.

The work of OUSD(I&S) is conducted through its several staff directorates, including:

• Under the direction of the deputy under secretary for joint coalition warfighter support
  • Information Operations (IO) and Strategic Studies Directorate – Advisor for DoD Cyber, IO integration and IO-enabling strategic activities
  • Warfighter Requirements and Evaluation Directorate – Provides guidance and oversight to sustain the Intelligence Planning process to synchronize and integrate national and Defense Intelligence Enterprise efforts in support of selected combatant command top priority contingency and campaign plans
  • Policy, Strategy, and Doctrine Directorate – Provides oversight, development, and management of Defense Intelligence, Counterintelligence, security and intelligence-related policy, strategy, and doctrine, and establishes priorities to ensure conformance with Secretary of Defense and Director of National Intelligence guidance
  • Information Sharing and Partner Engagement Directorate – Coordinates all intelligence information sharing and related Warfighter intelligence support issues for the Under Secretary
  • Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) Directorate – Responsible for operationalizing approved ISR initiatives. Provides ISR capability with supporting infrastructure for collection, communications and processing, exploitation and dissemination in support of commands engaged in combat operations
• Under the direction of the Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Technical Collection and Analysis
  • Analytic Concepts and Strategies Directorate – Stimulates, develops and implements advanced concepts, responsive strategies, and cutting-edge analytic tradecraft methodologies, techniques and procedures that focus on improving the full spectrum of analysis and maximizing the integration and collaboration between technical analysis and all-source analysis
  • Collection Concepts and Strategies Directorate – Stimulates, develops and implements advanced concepts, responsive strategies, and cutting-edge integration methodologies, techniques and procedures
  • Special Capabilities Directorate – Develops, oversees, and manages special activities addressing critical intelligence needs, operational shortfalls, and interagency requirements
• Under the direction of the Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Portfolio, Programs and Resources
  • Battlespace Awareness (BA) Portfolio Directorate – Serves as the principal staff advisor and functional manager for the Department's BA Portfolio
  • Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Programs Directorate – Provides functional oversight for DoD ISR programs, to include processing, exploitation, and dedicated communications networks
  • Military Intelligence Program Resources Directorate – Develops investment strategies addressing Warfighter near-term and long-term ISR and other intelligence-related needs
• Under the direction of the Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for HUMINT, Counterintelligence and Security
  • Counterintelligence Directorate – Staff advisor for Department Counterintelligence and Credibility Assessment matters
  • HUMINT Directorate – Staff advisor for Department HUMINT, overseeing the full spectrum of Department HUMINT plans, programs, and operations, to include Identity Intelligence biometrics
  • Security Directorate – Staff advisor for Department security policy, planning, and oversight, and Executive Agent for the National Industrial Security Program
  • Sensitive Activities Directorate – Staff office concerning Department Sensitive Activities, National programs, Defense Sensitive Support and sensitive Special Operations
  • Direct Report Offices – Central administrative activity of the OUSD-I for legislative affairs, human capital, management, and policy oversight

Budget[]

Budget totals[]

The annual budget for the USD(I&S) is contained in the Office of the Secretary of Defense's (OSD) budget, under the Defense-Wide Operation and Maintenance (O&M) account.

Budget features[]

• Intelligence Mission – Provides funding for the four Deputy Under Secretaries of OUSD(I&S) as well as four direct reporting agencies:
  • DUSD Joint and Coalition Warfighter Support (J&CWS) – Ensures that intelligence support across the Department meets critical and timely Warfighter needs and requirements through policy development, planning, and operational oversight
  • DUSD Technical Collection and Analysis (TC&A) – Provides direction and oversight of all DoD intelligence analytical and technical collection functions
  • DUSD Portfolio, Programs and Resources (PP&R) – Develops Defense Department investment strategy for Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) and Environmental system capabilities
  • DUSD HUMINT, Counterintelligence and Security (HCI&S) – Responsible for developing policy and exercise planning, and strategic oversight for the Department of Defense in the areas of HUMINT, Counterintelligence (CI), security and sensitive activities
• International Intelligence Technology – Develops, coordinates, oversees, and manages OUSD(I)’s technology and architectural analysis and support to allied and coalition intelligence sharing and exchange requirements. Conducts research, analysis, and coordination to advance and integrate DoD, NATO, and coalition intelligence sharing, exploitation, and dissemination
• Defense Civilian Intelligence Personnel System (DCIPS) – DCIPS implementation enables Defense Department intelligence agencies to more effectively establish positions and appoint, pay, develop, retain, and motivate a world-class workforce committed to providing effective intelligence support to the Warfighter and the national policy maker
• Joint Military Deception Initiative – Funds an initiative to revitalize Defense Department military deception planning and execution capability in the Unified Combatant Commands
• Travel – Funds employee travel in support of OUSD(I) mission

Office holders[]

Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence^[10]

Portrait	Name	Tenure	SecDef(s) served under	President(s) served under
	Stephen Cambone	11 March 2003 – 31 December 2006	Donald Rumsfeld Robert Gates	George W. Bush
	James R. Clapper	15 April 2007 – 9 August 2010	Robert Gates	George W. Bush Barack Obama
	Michael G. Vickers	16 March 2011 – 30 April 2015[11]	Robert Gates Leon Panetta Chuck Hagel Ashton Carter	Barack Obama
	Marcel Lettre	1 May 2015 – 20 January 2017	Ashton Carter
	Joseph D. Kernan	1 December 2017 – 10 November 2020[12]	James Mattis Mark Esper	Donald Trump
	Ezra Cohen-Watnick (Acting)	10 November 2020 – 20 January 2021	Christopher C. Miller (acting)
	(Acting)	20 January 2021 – June 1, 2021	Lloyd Austin	Joe Biden
	Ronald Moultrie	June 1, 2021 - present

References[]