The History of the Department of Defense - Essay Example

?Running head: DEFENSE DEPARTMENT Department of Defense Insert Insert Grade Insert 30 March Outline Introduction RobertGates History Why Gates was chosen by President Obama for the cabinet post Current policy issues that the Secretary and Department is addressing during the current Obama administration. - Iran concerns - Iraq and Afghanistan Issues - Defense and space policy Conclusion Works Cited Defense Department Introduction The history of the department of defense dates back to 1775 when the first Marine Corps and Army Navy was formed concurrently with the then American revolution. In 1789 the War Department was formed, which centuries later would come to be recognized as the Department of Defense. The Coast Guard which is a section of the Homeland security was later on to be established a year after the establishment of the war Department. In 1947, a decision was undertaken with the sole aim of unifying the various Departments under one roof. This decision led to the formation of the National Military Establishment in the same year. The National Military Establishment replaced the existing War Department at the time, as the war department was transformed to the Department of the Army. In this same year, there was an establishment of the U.S Air Force as it was followed by the creation of the Department of Air Force. Finally, with the senate’s approval and confirmation the existing three military branches of the army that included; the Air Force, the Army and the Navy were delegated under one person, the secretary of Defense who had direct control over them. In 1949, there was an amendment undertaken upon the National Security act that advanced one-step ahead by consolidating the national defense structure in a way that the cabinet-level status possessed by the three service secretaries was withdrawn from them. Later on the name National Military Establishment was to be converted and renamed as Department of Defense (U.S. Department of Defense par 12, 13, 14, & 16). The department of Defense is headed by the powerful secretary of Defense who is the policy advisor to the president on matters pertaining to Defense. The authority exercised by the secretary of Defense, which include controlling and directing the department of Defense is under the direction of the president. This department is said to have evolved with the country as its roots can be traced back in pre-revolutionary times. In modern times, the Department of Defense is headed by Roberts Gates the secretary of Defense. In addition to this, the Department of Defense boosts over 1.4 million work forces under active duty. This department has earned the title of being the largest employer in America. The headquarters of the Department of Defense is based in Pentagon building (U.S. Department of Defense Para 2, 3, & 4). The major mission of the Department of Defense is to ensure that there is provision of military forces required for the sole purpose of deterring a war and above all to offers protection to the security of America. The Department also offers crucial and timely information on matters pertaining to defense policies operations, functions and organizations. Robert Gates History Dr. Robert M. Gates history within the American government circles is vast as the current government is eighth in number among the numerous governments he has served. Dr. Gates was sworn in as the 22nd Secretary of Defense in 18th of December 2006. His continued stay in office has earned him a record as the only secretary of Defense in American history to remain in office upon the prerogative of the newly elected president. Before his appointment in his present post, Dr. Gates was the president of the nation’s seventh largest University, the Texas A&M University. Before assuming his role as the president of the Texas A&M University on August 1st 2002, Dr. Gates was an interim Dean of the George Bush School of Government and Public Service from 1999 to 2001 in Texas A&M. Dr. Gates involvement with the Central Intelligence Agency began way back while he was still in the University. Prior to taking up his post in the Central Intelligence Agency, Dr. Gates underwent two years of working period in the United States Air Force. These two years incorporated the spell of the Vietnam War. Later on, he joined the CIA as an intelligence analyst where he worked until 1974 when he joined the National Security Council working under President Jimmy Carter. He worked in this post for five years until 1979 when he rejoined the CIA only this time in an executive capacity of an assistant to the then CIA director Stansfield Turner. Dr. Gates was later on appointed as Deputy Director for Intelligence apposition he held for four years before his promotion to the important and crucial post of Deputy Director of Central Intelligence as a deputy of William J. Casey in 1986. As fate would have it, in 1987 Dr. Gates took up the role of the Director of Central Intelligence in acting capacity. In the same year, he was nominated by president Regan to become the Director of CIA although the post did not materialize for Gates as the president was forced to withdrawal his name after an assurance that the senate would reject him. Part of the reason behind his rejection by the Senate is that the Senate believed he had a hand in Ira-Contra Scandal. Gates held on to the position of Deputy Director of Central Intelligence Agency until 1989, when he was appointed as the Deputy assistant to the President for National Security Affairs a position he held for six months. In the same year Gates was appointed as an assistant to the President as well as Deputy National Security Adviser a position he served for almost one and half years. In 1991, Gates was nominated by President George H. W. Bush to head the Central Intelligence as the Director. The Senate approved of his nomination as the Director of the CIA although he a record high of 31 negative votes in US history of votes against CIA Directors. He served as the CIA director until 1993 after which he retired from the CIA to work as a lecturer and academic a position he used to publish memoirs. In 1996, Gates served at Texas A&M University in a President’s capacity. March 2006 Gates joined the Iraq Study Group and later on in the same year, he was nominated by President George W. Bush as a new United States Secretary of Defense a position he still holds up to today despite the incoming of a new government of President Obama (Simkin). Why Gates was chosen by President Obama for the cabinet post One of the many qualities possessed by Robert Gates the Secretary of Defense is candor and leadership skills. According to The Nation, Gates enjoys a charmed life that is attributed to his charming persona. In addition to this, the Fawning Corporate Media has recognized him as a true leader willing to take the bull by its horns as indicated by his recent mode of expression that branded the Afghanistan and Iraq war as nuts. It is this type of public candor that takes the public by surprise in reference to Gates character that depicts him to be bold in expressing his views on a matter that is before the public domain (Mcgovern Para 1 & 2). According to his history, no one can deny that Dr. Roberts Gates has a vast of experience especially under the defense docket. Most of his entire carrier is based on his services in the field of America’s intelligence and especially while working under different regimes. Working under these different governments has one way or the other assisted Dr. Gates to attain a wealth of experience on the operations of America’s Intelligence system, which is crucial to the Department of Defense. According to the U.S. department of Defense, Dr. Gates has close to 27 years of experience in the field of America’s Intelligence (U.S. Department of Defense, par 3 & 4). In addition to the experience attained in the field of Intelligence he has also received, numerous awards in this same field that. Some of the awards Dr. Gates has received include; the Presidential Citizens Medal, the National Security Medal, three times and the Distinguish Intelligence Medal that is the highest in CIA Awards and twice the National intelligence Distinguish service (U.S. Department of Defense, Para 5). His leadership skills have also been boosted by his Presidential experience as the President of Texas A&M University, which is the seventh largest University (U.S. Department of Defense, par 2). Prior to his appointment as the U.S. Secretary of Defense served as the Board of Directors as well as the Executive Committee of the American Council on Education, National Executive Board of boy scout of America and Board of Directors of National Association of State Universities. The positions that were held by Gates not only decorate his curriculum vitae but also indicate the trust he has built on people to be bestowed such crucial positions within the society (U.S. Department of Defense, par 6 & 7). In his posture statement to the Senate Armed Services Committee, Dr. Gates portrays his eloquent skills as a leader while offering an overview of the way forward regarding the proposed budgets of the Department of Defense. In defending the budgets, Dr. Gates cites the existing terror threats posed by countries like North Korea and Iran. Using statistics Gates compares the situation that existed when America was under Vietnam War and the situation at the moment. In addition to this, Dr. Gates goes ahead to highlight the past mistakes American government has been making, thus underrating the cost of defending America (Gates 18 & 19). Dr. Gates is regarded as having a tough personality in light to his tough decision making in which he stands by them. According to Air Force times, Dr. Gates is said to dismantle the U. S. Air power single handedly. In addition to this Gates is regarded to have restored military control to civilized manner something the previous Secretary of defense Rumsfeld was unable to achieve. It is indicated that Rumsfeld would often take advice rather giving or issuing orders, which was contrary to Dr. Gates leadership skills. Dr. Gates elaborated in details that the sole responsibility of the military was to undertake lawful orders thus establishing his stand on the decisions he makes in the course of his mandate. Generals were held accountable on their actions as Gates considered that the law applied to both the junior ranking officers and senior ranking officers in order to ensure equality (Dorr 8, 9 & 10). Current policy issues that the Secretary and Department is addressing during the current Obama administration. Iran concerns President Obama’s sentiments and goals on matters pertaining to the intentions of Iran acquiring nuclear weapons are the same as the previous regime of President George W. Bush. The aim of the Obama’s administration policy is to prevent Iran from meddling with America’s regional operations as well as prevent them from attaining nuclear weapons. The only difference that emerges different from the previous Bush administration is that the Obama’s administration is willingly and ready to undertake direct diplomacy talks with Iran. Though military action is not an option at the moment should Iran continue with its nuclear ambitions, it remains a possibility. According to Obama’s Administration what is needed is change of regime in Iran (Katzman 38). In the implementation of the engagement policy with Iran, the Obama’s administration has laid down clear steps of undertaking this course. Some of the steps include recognition of Iran as a revolution nation, accepting Iran’s nuclear ambitions provided they comply with the responsibilities as indicated in NPT, lifting of the U.S. sanctions on Iran as well as attending future p5+1 meetings with Iran (Katzman 3). Iraq and Afghanistan Issues The Obama’s administration has assumed power when America is fighting a war against terrorism. This therefore indicates that attention has to be focused on these issues and in particular foreign economic policy. In addition to this, the Obama’s administration has to deal with national security issues that put the department of defense on the spot. One of the pressing issues is to withdraw U.S. troops from fighting in Iraq and concurrently increasing the numbers of American troops in Afghanistan as well as increasing the operations in the deteriorating nation of Pakistan (Scott & Rosati 37). Defense and space policy Space-based interceptors are considered as the third rail in the current world of missile defense programs. The Obama’s administration had commenced reexamining the best way space can be used to offer services to the American defense policies thus doing away with years of stagnation. This system deliberately excludes sophisticated defenses as at the same time it missiles launched from rogue states will be difficult to defend. Interceptors mounted in Alaska in modern time cannot defend America from North Korean missiles launched off a ship at the Los Angeles coast. The interceptors in Poland on the other hand cannot reach missiles from Iran’s boost phase. This hence does not mean that there already established mechanisms of defenses ready to confront the growing threat. Radars installed in both Israel and in the Czech Republic are essential in providing detection measures of a missile launched from Iran. It is by abiding to bilateral agreement and negotiations that would lead to respecting the interest in missile defense system among friends and allies. America is more vulnerable in modern times as Iran is busy continuing with its shahab series while North Korea with its Taepo Dongs. China on the other hand is proceeding with its increase in modernization of ICBMs force as Russia has advanced its progress in new deployment of submarine and land launched ICBMs that are particularly structured to overcome America’s ground based mid course interceptors (Tanji 145). Over twenty-five years have passed and now the S is no longer in the initials SDI that stands for strategic defense initiative. The fact is that America has missile defenses and at the same time has the capability to have more as their initial progress is undeveloped. This was clearly shown in 2007 by the Chinese anti-satellite intercept that used a ballistic missile to ultimately destroy a weather system that was aging. This will act as a reminder of the relationship between the space and the missiles and our perception towards missile defense policy. The years ahead will be crucial on the Obama’s administration on matters pertaining to missile defense and space policy and there is a possibility of this administration continuing with the earlier progress of the previous two regimes both diplomatic and programmatic (Tanji 146). Conclusion The department of Defense is one of the crucial cabinet posts that have existed since revolutionary times of the American history. The post dates back to 1775 during the formation of the first Army Navy and Marine Corps. Since its conversion to Department of Defense the post of the Secretary to the Department of defense has been headed by over 21 elites with the current Secretary of Defense been the 22nd in that position. The Secretary of Defense is currently held by Dr. Robert Gates who has attained the record of being the first US Secretary of Defense to be asked to remain in office by an incoming new regime. Works Cited Dorr, Robert. “Gates’ legacy is work in progress.” NY, Air Force Times. 2011. 30 March 2011. http://www.airforcetimes.com/community/opinion/airforce-dorr-gates-legacy-is-work-in-progress-032811/. Gates, Roberts. Understanding the New US Defense Policy through the Speeches of Robert M. Gates, Secretary of Defense. MD: Arc Manor. 2008. Katzman, Kenneth. Iran: U. S. Concerns and Policy Responses. NY: Congressional Research service. 2009. Mcgovern, Ray. How to read Gates’ shift on wars. Lahore: The Nation. 2011. 30 March 2011. http://nation.com.pk/pakistan-news-newspaper-daily-english-online/International/05-Mar-2011/How-to-read-Gates-shift-on-wars Scott, James and Rosati, Jerel. The Politics of United States Foreign Policy. MA: Wadsworth. 2011. Simkin, John. Spartacus Educational. NY: Spartacus Educational. N.d. 30 March 2011. http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/MDgatesR.htm. Tanji, Micheal. Threats in the Age of Obama. MI: O’Reilly Publishing. 2009. U.S. Department of Defense. About the Department of Defense (DoD). Washington D.C, Department of Defense. 2011. 30 March 2011. http://www.defense.gov/about/#history. U.S. Department of Defense. Dr. Robert M. Gates Secretary of Defense. Washington D.C, Department of Defense. 2011. 30 March 2011. http://www.defense.gov/bios/biographydetail.aspx?biographyid=115. Read More