Updated January 29, 2020
Defense Primer: Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence and
Security
The Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence and
position would “provide the Secretary of Defense with the
Security (USD(I&S)) is a civilian official, appointed by the
flexibility he requires to respond to heightened demands on
President and confirmed by the Senate, who reports directly
the [DOD] to support the President’s efforts to prevent and
to the Secretary of Defense and is the Principal Staff
respond to acts of terrorism against the United States.” The
Assistant and advisor to the Secretary and Deputy Secretary
legislative language establishing the position of USD(I) was
of Defense on intelligence, counterintelligence (CI),
included under Section 901 of the National Defense
security, sensitive activities, and other intelligence-related
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2003 (P.L. 107-314),
matters. On behalf of the Secretary, the USD(I&S) also
which was codified as Section 137 of Title 10, United
exercises authority, direction, and control over Department
States Code.
of Defense (DOD) intelligence and security agencies, field
activities, policy, processes, procedures, and products.
USD(I&S)s to Date
The title “USD(I&S)” reflects a recent change
. To give
Stephen A. Cambone (March 2003-December 2006)
greater emphasis to the importance and scope of the
James R. Clapper (April 2007-August 2010)
USD(I&S)’s security responsibilities, including primary
Michael G. Vickers (March 2011-April 2015)
federal government responsibility for conducting
Marcel Lettre (December 2015-January 2017)
background investigations (consistent with Executive Order
13869), Congress redesignated the position of Under
Todd Lowery (acting) (January 2017-June 2017)
Secretary of Defense for Intelligence (USD(I)) as the Under
Kari Bingen (acting) (June 2017-December 2017)
Secretary of Defense for Intelligence and Security
Joseph D. Kernan (December 2017-present)
(USD(I&S)) in the National Defense Authorization Act
(NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2020 (Section 1621 of P.L. 116-
92).
Origin of “Dual-Hatted” Role for USD(I&S)
In May 2007, the Secretary of Defense and the Director of
As the head of the defense intelligence and security
National Intelligence (DNI) signed a Memorandum of
enterprise, the USD(I&S) has responsibility for a significant
Agreement (MOA) to establish a dual role for the USD(I).
portion of the personnel and funding supporting the
In a news release announcing the issuance of the MOA,
Intelligence Community (IC) overall. The USD(I&S) and
then-USD(I) James Clapper indicated that the creation of a
staff, however, are not themselves statutory elements of the
Director of Defense Intelligence (DDI) position was
IC. Title 50 U.S. Code §3003 lists the 17 organizational
intended to “strengthen the relationship between the DNI
elements of the IC, two of which are independent—the
and the DOD … [and] to facilitate staff interaction and
Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) and
promote synchronization.” Under the “dual-hatting”
Central Intelligence Agency—and 15 of which are
arrangement, the incumbent acts as the USD(I&S) within
components of six separate departments of the federal
the OSD, and acts as the DDI within the ODNI.
government. The eight IC elements within the DOD
The DNI and the USD(I&S) together coordinate a number
comprise the defense intelligence and security enterprise
of interagency activities designed to facilitate the
overseen by the USD(I&S). They include the Defense
integration of national- and tactical-level intelligence
Intelligence Agency (DIA), National Geospatial
activities. When acting as DDI, the USD(I&S) reports
Intelligence Agency (NGA), National Security Agency
directly to the DNI and serves as his or her principal
(NSA), National Reconnaissance Office (NRO), and the
advisor regarding defense intelligence. The USD(I&S)
four intelligence components of the military services. These
ensures defense intelligence is coordinated and aligned with
elements, in turn, support the Joint Staff and Combatant
IC programs and priorities, and address strategic, tactical,
Commands with the personnel and expertise that enable
or operational requirements supporting military strategy and
their component joint intelligence organizations.
Origin of the USD(I) Position
operations. The USD(I&S) and staff, therefore, provide
strategic direction and oversight of the defense products and
Leadership of DOD intelligence-related functions within
services derived from the collection, processing, evaluation,
the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) has been
and analysis of information concerning foreign nations,
realigned multiple times over the course of DOD’s history.
hostile or potentially hostile forces or elements, or areas of
The most recent development came when Congress
actual or potential military operations.
established the USD(I) position in the aftermath of the 9/11
Roles and Responsibilities of the
terror attacks, in response to a request by then-Secretary of
USD(I&S)
Defense Donald Rumsfeld.
DOD Directive 5143.01 of April 22, 2015 establishes the
DOD asserted that in exercising delegated oversight over
responsibilities, functions, relationships, and authorities of
the DOD’s intelligence, CI, and security functions, the
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Defense Primer: Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence and Security
the USD(I&S) within DOD, as defined by law, executive
providing strategic guidance and oversight of the
order, and DOD policy, including those responsibilities and
DOD program for the acquisition and exploitation
authorities delegated from the Secretary of Defense to the
of foreign materiel.
USD(I&S). Per DOD Directive 5143.01, the USD(I&S)’s
Other major responsibilities and functions of the USD(I&S)
major responsibilities and functions include
include acting as the Program Executive for the Military
serving as DDI and principal advisor to the DNI
Intelligence Program (MIP) and managing the MIP through
on defense intelligence, as well as facilitating the
the DOD Planning, Programming, Budgeting, and
integration of defense intelligence and DOD
Execution (PPBE) process. The USD(I&S) also has
support with IC activities;
acquisition authority for intelligence, CI, and security-
advising the Secretary of Defense and the Deputy
related technologies, systems, and equipment, and exercises
Secretary of Defense regarding defense
oversight of personnel and manpower issues for defense
intelligence, CI, security, sensitive activities, and
intelligence positions.
other intelligence-related matters;
Program Executive of the MIP
on behalf of the Secretary of Defense, exercising
IC spending is usually understood as the sum of two
authority, direction, control, and oversight over the
separate budget programs: (1) the National Intelligence
activities of the DIA, the NGA, the NRO, the
Program (NIP), which covers IC-wide programs, projects,
NSA/Central Security Service (CSS), and the
and activities oriented toward the strategic needs of
Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency
decision-makers; and (2) the MIP, which funds defense
(DCSA);
intelligence activities intended to support tactical military
ensuring DOD IC elements are responsive to the
operations and priorities. The DNI manages the NIP budget
intelligence needs of operational military forces
through the IC budget process (Intelligence Planning,
generally;
Programming, Budgeting and Evaluation Process, or
developing and overseeing implementation of
IPPBE). The USD(I&S) manages the MIP and its
DOD policy, strategy, programs, and guidance on
accompanying budget separately through the DOD’s PPBE
all intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance
process. The DNI and USD(I&S) thus coordinate and
(ISR) manned and unmanned activities (including
integrate the two programs within the constraints of two
cyberspace activities);
separate budget processes.
providing strategic direction and oversight of
For FY2019, the aggregate amount of funds
defense human intelligence collection operations
appropriated for the NIP and MIP totaled $81.7
to ensure they are organized and postured to
billion ($60.2 billion in NIP funds and $21.5
support DOD and IC missions and priorities;
billion in MIP funds).
providing strategic oversight and direction of
For FY2020, the aggregate amount of funds for the
defense technical collection capabilities and
NIP and MIP totals $85.7 billion ($62.8 billion in
performance, to include signals intelligence,
NIP funds and $22.9 billion in MIP funds).
geospatial intelligence, and measurement and
signature intelligence;
reviewing and advocating for the intelligence
Relevant Statutes
capabilities of the Joint Intelligence Operations
Title 10, U.S. Code, §137
Centers and the service intelligence centers, in
coordination with the Combatant Commands and
military departments;
ensuring defense intelligence analysis is aligned
CRS Products
with IC and DOD analytical concepts,
CRS In Focus IF10524, Defense Primer: Budgeting for National
methodologies, and tradecraft standards;
and Defense Intelligence
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
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
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
implementation of CI policy, programs, guidance,
training, ensuring they are responsive to validated
DOD and national CI priorities;
providing strategic direction and oversight of
Other Resources
defense security programs and capabilities,
DOD Directive 5143.01, Under Secretary of Defense for
including Defense Counterintelligence and
Intelligence, Change 1 effective April 22, 2015.
Security Agency-led activities to protect the
Executive Order 12333, U.S. Intelligence Activities, as amended.
supply chain and conduct personnel background
Michael McConnell, DNI, and Robert Gates, Secretary of
investigations and security clearance
Defense, Memorandum of Agreement, May 2007.
adjudications; and
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Defense Primer: Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence and Security
IF10523
Michael E. DeVine, Analyst in Intelligence and National
Security
Disclaimer
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