Department+of+Defense

 Department of Defense Leaders Secretary of Defense: Robert M. Gates Deputy of Secretary of Defense: William J. Lynn Defense Leaders: Admiral Michael Mullen and General James E. Cartwright

To consistently provide responsive, forward-thinking, and insightful policy advice and support to the Secretary of Defense, and the Department of Defense in alignment with the national security objectives.
 * Mission Statement **


 * Topic 1: Swine Flu **

Article 1 Summary (Military Monitors Swine Flu With Focus On Protecting Force) By Donna Miles April 27, 2009 The Department of Defense is monitoring the Swine Flu very closely and is making sure that all military personnel are not in harms way. Its primary focus is to protect the military population. Relenza and Tamiflu are two prescription anti-drugs that are being used and are already stocked at U.S. military treatment centers. Also many larger quantities have been sent to several sites in the U.S. and overseas. The main defense for this is to wash your hands and cover your mouth when you cough and sneeze. “We certainly have a number of contingency plans for dealing with health incidences like this, because our primary goal is preservation of the fighting force,” Bryan Whitman said. “So we obviously have plans and take measures to ensure that we can preserve the fighting strength of the military in the event that there should be a greater crisis with respect to a health situation like this.”

Article 2 Summary (Suspected H1N1 Case Reported At California Marine Base) By Fred W. Baker II April 29, 2009 Marine Corps commandmant confirmed a suspected case of Swine Flu at the Marine Corps Combat Center. The Homeland Security Council is now calling the sine flu, the H1N1 flu. A male marine reported to the medical facility and complained of flu-like symptoms. The marine and his roommate are quarantined in the barracks and his roommate shows no signs of the flu so far. The doctors have also contacted the other 37 people the marine has been in contact with and are keeping a close eye on them and giving them some restrictions.

Article 3 Summary (Mexican Child Is First Swine Flu Death In U.S.) By Maggie Fo April 29, 2009 A 23-month year old child died in Texas from the Swine Flu. It is the first death reported outside of Mexico. The child came to Houston for medical treatment. The child was from Mexico and traveled to South Texas for medical attention. They are not sure what part of Mexico the child is from.


 * Dear President Obama: I believe that you should expand the prescription anti-drugs to all medical facilities, not just military medical facilities.**
 * Topic 2: Iraq**

Article 1 Summary: “Engineers in Iraq Defeat Tunnel Terrorists” By Army 1st Lt. Stephen Clements and Army 1st Lt. Janeene Yarber 4/20/09

This article supports the notion that terrorists really are “everywhere.” The article was about underground tunnels that terrorists are using in Iraq. The author states that United States troops have found and are beginning to “fill” them up. The author says that after the engineers filled up the hole the first time, the terrorists went back and took the top off. However, the engineers went back and made it much more secure.

Article 2 Summary: “U.S. Troops Could Stay In Mosul Past June Deadline” By Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden 4/14/09 U.S. soldiers were scheduled to stay in Mosul, Iraq only up until June 30th. However, this deadline may now change. This may happen largely in part because of al-Qaida carrying out terroristic attacks regularly. The article also discusses the continuing loss of life in Iraq. Army Col. Gary Volesky said, “These operations we have done have not come without cost.” This holds true, and this trend may keep continuing the longer U.S. troops are in Iraq.

Article 3 Summary: “U.S., Iraqi Soldiers Release “Lions Roar” By Army Spc. Creighton Holub 4/22/09 As many people already know, the U.S. military is helping Iraqi citizens, and the country as a whole. However, the military is also helping out the Iraqi military. This article is about their first large-scale combined-arms live-fire exercise. They named this “Lions Roar”. The U.S. soldiers trained along with the Iraqi soldiers. The U.S. military is helping them in order for the Iraq army to be able to defend and protect their borders. I believe that U.S. troops should not be kept in Iraq past any of their previously decided deadlines. The Department of Defense was created in 1947 by the National Security Act signed by Truman. The Department of defense preceded the Department of War. The department was created to handle all issues relating to national security and the military. The department was also created to eliminate rivalry in the service. The Department of Defense is broken down into three separate departments – The Department of the Army, Department of the Navy, and Department of the Air Force.
 * History **

**Agencies **


 * Business Transformation Agency (BTA)- to guide the transformation of business operations throughout the Department of Defense and to deliver Enterprise-level capabilities that align to warfighter needs
 * Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)- to maintain the technological superiority of the U.S. military and prevent technological surprise from harming our national security by sponsoring revolutionary, high-payoff research bridging the gap between fundamental discoveries and their military use
 * Defense Commissary Agency (DECA)- manages 284 grocery stores on U.S. military installations worldwideDefense Contract Audit Agency (DCAA)- responsible for performing all contract audits for the United States Department of Defense (DoD) (and, to a lesser extent, to other agencies outside DoD), and providing accounting and financial advisory services regarding contracts and subcontracts to all DoD Components responsible for procurement and contract administration. These services are provided in connection with negotiation, administration, and settlement of contracts and subcontract
 * Defense Contract Management Agency (DCMA)- responsible for performing contract administration services (CAS) for DoD and other authorized Federal Agencies
 * Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS)- provides finance and accounting services for the military and other members of defense
 * Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA)- goal of providing real-time information technology (IT) and communications support to the President, Vice President, Secretary of Defense, the military Services, and the Combatant Commands
 * Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA)- provides timely, objective, and cogent military intelligence to warfighters, defense planners, and defense and national security policymakers
 * Defense Legal Services Agency (DLSA)- provides advice to the Secretary and Deputy Secretary of Defense regarding all legal matters and services performed within, or involving, the Department of Defense
 * Defense Logistics Agency (DLA)- provides worldwide logistics support for the missions of the Military Departments and the Unified Combatant Commands under conditions of peace and war
 * Defense Security Service (DSS)- tasked with facilitating personnel security investigations, supervising industrial security, and performing security education and awareness training
 * Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA)- created to safeguard America and its interests from weapons of mass destruction (chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and high explosives ) by reducing the threat and providing quality tools and services
 * Missile Defense Agency (MDA)- to develop and field an integrated, layered, ballistic missile defense system to defend the United States, its deployed forces, allies, and friends against all ranges of enemy ballistic missiles in all phases of flight
 * National Geo-Spatial Agency (NGA)- develops imagery and map-based intelligence solutions for U. S. national defense, homeland security and safety of navigation
 * National Security Agency (NSA)- responsible for the collection and analysis of foreign communications and foreign signals intelligence, which involves a significant amount of cryptanalysis and responsible for protecting U.S. government communications and information systems from similar agencies elsewhere, which involves a significant amount of cryptography
 * Pentagon Force Protection Agency (PFPA)- protect and safeguard the occupants, visitors, and infrastructure of the Pentagon, Navy Annex and other assigned Pentagon facilities