Updated December 19, 2018
Defense Primer: Under Secretary of Defense (Intelligence)
The Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence (USD(I))
USD(I)s to Date
is a civilian official, appointed by the President and
confirmed by the Senate, who reports directly to the
Stephen A. Cambone (March 2003-December 2006)
Secretary of Defense, and is the Principal Staff Assistant
James R. Clapper (April 2007-August 2010)
and advisor to the Secretary and Deputy Secretary of
Michael G. Vickers (March 2011-April 2015)
Defense on intelligence, counterintelligence (CI), security,
sensitive activities, and other intelligence-related matters.
Marcel Lettre (December 2015-January 2017)
On behalf of the Secretary, the USD(I) also exercises
Joseph D. Kernan (December 2017-present)
authority, direction, and control over Department of
Defense (DOD) intelligence and security agencies, field
activities, policy, processes, procedures, and products,
Origin of “Dual-Hatted” Role for USD(I)
collectively known as the Defense Intelligence Enterprise.
In May 2007, the Secretary of Defense and the Director of
National Intelligence (DNI) signed a Memorandum of
As the head of the Defense Intelligence Enterprise, the
Agreement (MOA) to establish a dual role for the USD(I).
USD(I) has responsibility for a significant portion of the
In a news release announcing the issuance of the MOA,
personnel and funding supporting the Intelligence
then-USD(I) James Clapper indicated that the creation of a
Community (IC) overall. The USD(I) and staff, however,
Director of Defense Intelligence (DDI) position was
are not themselves statutory elements of the IC. Title 50
intended to “strengthen the relationship between the DNI
U.S. Code §3003 lists the 17 organizational elements of the
and the DOD … [and] to facilitate staff interaction and
IC, two of which are independent—the Office of the
promote synchronization.” Under the “dual-hatting”
Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) and Central
arrangement, the incumbent acts as the USD(I) within the
Intelligence Agency—and 15 of which are components of
OSD, and acts as the DDI within the ODNI.
six separate departments of the federal government. The
The DNI and the USD(I) together coordinate a number of
eight IC elements within the DOD comprise the
interagency activities designed to facilitate the integration
organizational elements of the Defense Intelligence
of national- and tactical-level intelligence activities. When
Enterprise. They include the Defense Intelligence Agency
acting as DDI, the USD(I) reports directly to the DNI and
(DIA), National Geospatial Intelligence Agency (NGA),
serves as his or her principal advisor regarding defense
National Security Agency (NSA), National Reconnaissance
intelligence. The USD(I) ensures defense intelligence is
Office (NRO) and the four intelligence components of the
coordinated and aligned with IC programs and priorities,
military services. These elements, in turn, support the Joint
and address strategic, operational, or tactical requirements
Staff and Combatant Commands with the personnel and
supporting military strategy and operations. The USD(I)
expertise that enable their component joint intelligence
and staff, therefore, provide strategic direction and
organizations.
oversight of the defense products and services derived from
Origin of the USD(I) Position
the collection, processing, evaluation, and analysis of
information concerning foreign nations, hostile or
Leadership of DOD intelligence-related functions within
potentially hostile forces or elements, or areas of actual or
the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) has been
potential military operations.
realigned multiple times over the course of DOD’s history.
The most recent development came when Congress
Roles and Responsibilities of the USD(I)
established the USD(I) position in the National Defense
DOD Directive 5143.01 establishes the responsibilities,
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2003 in the aftermath of
functions, relationships, and authorities of the USD(I)
the 9/11 terror attacks, and in response to a request by then-
within DOD, as defined by law, executive order, and DOD
Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld.
policy, including those responsibilities and authorities
delegated from the Secretary of Defense to the USD(I). Per
DOD asserted that in exercising delegated oversight over
DOD Directive 5143.01, the USD(I)’s major
the DOD’s intelligence, CI, and security functions, the
responsibilities and functions include
position would “provide the Secretary of Defense with the
flexibility he requires to respond to heightened demands on
serving as DDI and principal advisor to the DNI
the [DOD] to support the President’s efforts to prevent and
on defense intelligence, as well as facilitating the
respond to acts of terrorism against the United States.” The
integration of defense intelligence and DOD
legislative language establishing the position of USD(I) was
support with IC activities;
included under Section 901 in P.L. 107-314, which was
codified as Section 137 of Title 10, United States Code.
advising the Secretary of Defense and the Deputy
Secretary of Defense regarding defense
intelligence, CI, security, sensitive activities, and
other intelligence-related matters;
https://crsreports.congress.gov
Defense Primer: Under Secretary of Defense (Intelligence)
on behalf of the Secretary of Defense, exercising
and activities oriented toward the strategic needs of
authority, direction, control, and oversight over the
decision-makers; and (2) the MIP, which funds defense
activities of the DIA, the National Geospatial-
intelligence activities intended to support tactical military
Intelligence Agency (NGA), the National
operations and priorities. The DNI manages the NIP budget
Reconnaissance Office (NRO), the National
through the IC budget process (Intelligence Planning,
Security Agency/Central Security Service
Programming, Budgeting and Evaluation Process, or
(NSA/CSS), and the Defense Security Service
IPPBE). The USD(I) manages the MIP and its
(DSS);
accompanying budget separately through the DOD’s PPBE
ensuring DOD IC elements are responsive to the
process. The DNI and USD(I) thus coordinate and integrate
intelligence needs of operational military forces
the two programs within the constraints of two separate
generally;
budget processes.
developing and overseeing implementation of
For FY2018, the aggregate amount of funds
DOD policy, strategy, programs, and guidance on
appropriated for the NIP and MIP totaled $81.5
all intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance
billion ($59.4 billion in NIP funds and $22.1
(ISR) manned and unmanned activities (including
billion in MIP funds).
cyberspace activities);
For FY2019, the aggregate amount of
providing strategic direction and oversight of
appropriations requested for the NIP and MIP total
defense human intelligence collection operations
$81.1 billion ($59.9 billion in NIP funds and $21.2
to ensure they are organized and postured to
billion in MIP funds).
support DOD and IC missions and priorities;
(Note: This In Focus was originally written by former CRS
providing strategic oversight and direction of
Analyst Anne Daugherty Miles.)
defense technical collection capabilities and
performance, to include signals intelligence,
Relevant Statutes
geospatial intelligence, and measurement and
Title 10, U.S. Code, §137
signature intelligence;
reviewing and advocating for the intelligence
capabilities of the Joint Intelligence Operations
Centers and the service intelligence centers, in
coordination with the Combatant Commands and
CRS Products
military departments;
CRS In Focus IF10470, The Director of National Intelligence
ensuring defense intelligence analysis is aligned
(DNI), by Michael E. DeVine
with IC and DOD analytical concepts,
CRS In Focus IF10524, Defense Primer: Budgeting for National
methodologies, and tradecraft standards;
and Defense Intelligence, by Michael E. DeVine
establishing and maintaining defense intelligence
and counterintelligence relationships with foreign
CRS In Focus IF10525, Defense Primer: National and Defense
defense intelligence entities in coordination with
Intelligence, by Michael E. DeVine
the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy
CRS In Focus IF10574, Defense Primer: Intelligence Support to
(USD(P)), and in consultation with Combatant
Military Operations, by Michael E. DeVine
Commanders, as appropriate;
CRS Report R45175, Covert Action and Clandestine Activities of
providing strategic direction and oversight of
the Intelligence Community: Selected Definitions in Brief, by
implementation of CI policy, programs, guidance,
Michael E. DeVine
training, ensuring they are responsive to validated
DOD and national CI priorities;
providing strategic direction and oversight of
defense security programs and capabilities; and
Other Resources
providing strategic guidance and oversight of the
DOD Directive 5143.01, Under Secretary of Defense for
DOD program for the acquisition and exploitation
Intelligence, Change 1 effective April 22, 2015.
of foreign materiel.
Executive Order 12333, U.S. Intelligence Activities, as amended.
Other major responsibilities and functions of the USD(I)
include acting as the Program Executive for the Military
Janet McDonnell, “The Office of the Under Secretary of
Intelligence Program (MIP) and managing the MIP through
Defense for Intelligence: The First 10 Years,” Studies in
the DOD Planning, Programming, Budgeting, and
Intelligence, vol. 58, no. 1, (Extracts, March 2014).
Execution (PPBE) process. The USD(I) also has acquisition
Michael McConnell, DNI, and Robert Gates, Secretary of
authority for intelligence, CI, and security-related
Defense, Memorandum of Agreement, May 2007.
technologies, systems, and equipment, and exercises
oversight of personnel and manpower issues for defense
intelligence positions.
Michael E. DeVine, Analyst in Intelligence and National
Program Executive of the MIP
Security
IC spending is usually understood as the sum of two
IF10523
separate budget programs: (1) the National Intelligence
Program (NIP), which covers IC-wide programs, projects,
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Defense Primer: Under Secretary of Defense (Intelligence)
Disclaimer
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https://crsreports.congress.gov | IF10523 · VERSION 9 · UPDATED