US Secretary of Defense
The United States Secretary of Defense is the head of the US Department of Defense and is concerned with the armed services and military matters.1 The role of the US Secretary of Defense is to be the principal defense policy advisor to the President.1 They are also responsible for the formulation of general defense policy related to all matters of concern to the Department of Defense, and execute of that policy.1
The Secretary of Defense serves as a link between the president and the senior military leaders.1 He translates the purposes of the president into a language that the military can implement.1 He also acts as a link between the Department of Defense and the Congress and the American people.1 The current salary of the Secretary of Defense is about
The position of Secretary of Defense in the USA was created in 1947 when the Navy, Army, and Airforce were merged in the National Military Establishment.1 The first Secretary of Defense was James Vincent Forrestal under Harry S. Truman.1 The most recent formal US Secretary of Defense was Donald Henry Rumsfeld under George W. Bush.1 Robert Michael Gates was also under George W. Bush and is still the current Secretary of Defense under Barack Obama.
The United States Secretary of Defense is sixth in line for presidential succession.1