Sec def biography

Page Talk. Read Change Change source View history. Tools Tools. In other projects. Wikimedia Commons Wikidata item. Flag of the Secretary [ 2 ]. List of Secretaries [ change change source ]. Denotes an Acting Secretary of Defense. References [ change change source ]. Archived from the original on May 12, Retrieved January 4, Forrestal — Harry S. Truman Administration".

Office of the Secretary of Defense — Historical Office. Archived from the original on August 14, Retrieved February 7, Johnson — Harry S. Archived from the original on January 4, Marshall — Harry S. Archived from the original on February 7, Lovett — Harry S. Archived from the sec def biography on May 16, Wilson — Dwight D. Eisenhower Administration".

McElroy — Dwight D. Archived from the original on February 8, Gates, Jr. McNamara — John F. Gifford — Lyndon Johnson Administration". Archived from the original on February 13, Laird — Richard Nixon Administration". Richardson — Richard Nixon Administration". ISBN In JuneRepresentative O. Fisher complained to William P. Clements, Jr. Rumsfeld — Gerald Ford Administration".

Archived from the original on November 22, Weinberger — Ronald Reagan Administration". Archived from the original on October 22, Carlucci — Ronald Reagan Administration". Secretaries of Defense". Archived from the original PDF on February 11, Retrieved February 8, Deputy Secretary of Defense William H. Taft served as acting secretary of defense from 20 January until 21 March Burns — Thomas-Greenfield — Rouse — Bernstein — Young — Regan — Guzman — Kerry — Podesta — Lander — Prabhakar — Sullivan — Psaki — Jean-Pierre — Bedingfield — LaBolt — Deese — Brainard — Gupta — Califf — Gensler — Prelogar — Chopra — Rice — Tanden — Inglis — Zients — Jha — McCarthy — Zaidi — On September 1,at a ceremony at Al-Faw Palace in Baghdad, Austin was promoted to the rank of general, becoming the Army's th four-star general officer and the sixth African American in the U.

Army to achieve the top rank. As commander, Austin requested an additional troop presence in Iraq from 14, to 18, Austin oversaw the transition from Operation Iraqi Freedom and combat operations to Operation New Dawn and stability operations focused on advising, assisting, and training the ISF. The U. Under his direction, the Army took steps to reduce the incidence of suicide in the ranks.

Austin directed the activities of four service component commands, one subordinate unified command U. Austin oversaw more thanAmerican and Coalition forces involved in operations throughout the region. During his tenure, Austin routinely advised the president, the secretary of defense, and other national-level leadership on challenges afflicting the CENTCOM region, and directed U.

Between andISIL lost 95 percent of the territory they once controlled. But Daesh remains a threat to your citizens and to ours," Austin said. He said "I'm very proud to have had the opportunity to lead troops in combat, I have seen our young leaders do amazing things in really tough and dangerous situations. On December 7,it was reported that President-elect Joe Biden would nominate Austin as secretary of defense.

Upon his confirmation and swearing-in later that day, Austin became the first African American Secretary of Defense. Upon assuming the office, Austin announced his top three priorities for the Defense Department in a memorandum issued to all DoD employees. It stated in part:. As the Secretary of Defense, I am committed to ensuring that the Department develops the right people, priorities, and purpose of mission to continue to defend our Nation from enemies foreign and domestic.

This will require aligning our priorities and capabilities to a changing and dynamic threat landscape. We will do so in a way that is based on a sober assessment of our strategic needs and recognize the importance of building and sustaining a strong workforce and unity within our Department, across the Nation and with our allies and partners around the world.

Three priorities - defending the Nation, taking care of our people, and succeeding through teamwork - will guide our efforts. The NDS clearly articulates our priorities: defend the homeland from the growing, multi-domain challenge posed by the PRC; deter strategic attacks against the United States, our Allies, and our Partners; deter aggression, while preparing to prevail in conflict if necessary, by prioritizing the PRC challenge in the Indo-Pacific, followed by the Russian challenge in Europe; and build a resilient Joint Force and defense ecosystem.

Austin's first step was to urge service members to get vaccinated, especially after the revelation that almost one-third of active-duty service members had turned down the opportunity to get administered the vaccine. On January 1,Austin was hospitalized at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center due to complications following a minimally invasive surgical procedure conducted on December 22,to address his prostate cancer prostatectomy.

The sec def biography staff decided to transfer him to the critical-care unit for closer monitoring and better team care by his doctors. On January 5, he resumed his functions and duties as secretary of defense from the hospital. The Department of Defense did not disclose the hospitalization to the President, senior Defense Department officials, senior White House national security staff, members of the U.

Congressmedia outlets, or the public for several days. Sullivan subsequently relayed the information to his colleagues and to Biden. The Pentagon Press Association, which represents members of the media covering the Defense Department, criticized Austin's multiday disappearance and the ensuing lack of transparency. During a press conference at the Pentagon on February 1, Austin addressed his hospitalization, stating:.

I want to be crystal clear. We did not handle this right, and I did not handle this right. I should have told the President about my cancer diagnosis. I should have also told my team and the American public. And I take full responsibility. I apologize to my teammates and to the American people. Now, I want to make it very clear that there were no gaps in authorities and no risks to the Department's command and control.

At every moment, either I or the Deputy Secretary was in full charge. And we've already put in place some new procedures to make sure that any lapses in notification don't happen. In the future, if the Deputy Secretary needs to temporarily assume the office -- the duties of my office, she and several White House offices will be immediately notified, including the White House Situation Room, and so will key officials across the Department.

And the reason for that assumption of duties will be included in writing. In response to the incident, the White House and the Department of Defense ordered reviews of all notification procedures. He took full responsibility, stating: "I did not handle it right. But let me be clear: I never intended to keep my hospitalization from the White House… or from anybody else.

He told the Members: "There was never a break in command and control. We transferred authority in a timely fashion. What we didn't do well was the notification of senior leaders. A January report from the DoD Office of the Inspector General found that risks to national security were "increased unnecessarily" during Austin's hospitalization.

The report did not identify any adverse impacts on operational command and control resulting from Austin's hospitalization, but emphasized the potential for adverse effects. Throughout his tenure, Austin engaged with civil and military leaders in the Middle East, reinforcing the United States' commitment to partnerships and security in the region.

Areas for collaboration between the U. As of August 13,there were more than 40, U. Pat Ryder. And no other country on Earth has anything like it. And that's especially important in today's Middle East. During a speech delivered at the Manama Dialogue in Bahrain in NovemberAustin said: "We do crucial work together with our friends in this [Middle East] region—to deter aggression from any quarter, to disrupt terrorist networks, and to maintain freedom of navigation in some of the world's most important waterways.

And over the decades, we have worked side-by-side as you invested in the capabilities to defend yourselves. We've supported you along the way, and we're going to keep doing so. Our forces train together, plan together, and work together—and that makes us stronger together. During a visit to Israel in Marchin a joint press conference with Israeli defense minister Yoav GallantAustin said: "Iran remains the primary driver of instability in the region and we remain deeply concerned by Iran's support for terrorism, its dangerous proxies, its nuclear advances, its aggression at sea, its cyber threats, and its proliferation of attack drones and advanced conventional weapons.

We fully understand the dangers of the Iranian government's destabilizing actions—including its support for terrorism, its dangerous proxies, and its threats to wipe Israel off the map. But Iran is also stoking instability across the region—including its support for terrorists and militias, its proliferation of drones, its menacing cyber activities, its maritime aggression, and its continued threats against foreign officials.

So Iran's reckless actions don't just threaten Israel. They endanger the entire Middle East and beyond, including by supporting Russia's cruel targeting of civilians in Ukraine. And increasingly, U. So we're working closely with Israel, our partners in the Middle East, and our allies and partners to impose coordinated pressure on the Iranian regime.

On February 19,Austin spoke to Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salmansaying that "We discussed the continued commitment to the year US-Saudi security partnershipand I'm looking forward to working together to achieve regional security and stability. On February 25,under Biden's direction, Austin coordinated military defensive airstrikes against an Iranian-backed militia in Syria.

Austin had previously recommended such airstrikes as a response to Iranian attacks on Americans in Iraq secer def biography in the month. It was also believed that the militia is responsible for killing a civilian contractor and injuring one American soldier as well as other troops in a missile attack on February 15, We are investing in a modernized, over-the-horizon counterterrorism architecture to prevent future attacks on our citizens and the U.

On December 18,Austin announced the establishment of a multinational maritime task force, Operation Prosperity Guardianto address attacks from Houthis in Yemen on commercial ships and other targets. Operation Prosperity Guardian is bringing together multiple countries to include the United Kingdom, Bahrain, Canada, France, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Seychelles, and Spain, to jointly address security challenges in the southern Red Sea and the Gulf of Adenwith the goal of ensuring freedom of navigation for all countries and bolstering regional security and prosperity.

On October 16,Austin released a statement about a series of precision strikes conducted earlier that day by U. Air Force B-2 bombers against five hardened underground weapons storage locations in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen. He told the assembled members of the country coalition that continued success against ISIS — and continued successful global counterterrorist efforts, overall — will require vigilance and resoluteness regarding transnational terrorism; an ongoing collective response to terrorist aggression; and understanding the importance of adaptability.

Our success stems from our resolve, our commitment to working together, and our willingness to adapt. These core elements will remain at the heart of the next phase of our mission. In JanuaryAustin declared that "America's commitment to Israel's security is ironclad. It is not negotiable. And it never will be. In Januarythe U. The exercise integrated unmanned aerial vehicles, strategic bombers, jet fighters and precision fires.

More than 7, personnel participated in the all-domain exercise. Ford carrier strike group to the Eastern Mediterranean in response. Along with the carrier, the group also included the cruiser Normandy and the destroyers RamageCarneyRooseveltand Thomas Hudner. Austin said: "I am here in person to make something crystal-clear: America's support for Israel is ironclad.

Since the initial Hamas attack, Pentagon Spokesman Brig. Pat Ryder said the department has focused its efforts on protecting American forces and citizens in the region, flowing security assistance to Israel, coordinating with Israelis to secure the release of hostages held by Hamas and strengthening the force posture across the region in order to deter any escalation of the conflict beyond Gaza.

Sec def biography: Lloyd J. Austin III is the

On November 13,Defence for Children InternationalAl-Haq, and Palestinians living in Gaza and the United States, represented by the Center for Constitutional Rightsfiled a lawsuit against Austin, President Joe Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken for failure to prevent genocideciting Israel's "mass killings," targeting of schools and hospitals, collective punishment, use of chemical weapons, forced expulsionand blockage of food, water, electricity and other basic needs.

The court dismissed the case on January 31,ruling that while "it is plausible that Israel's conduct amounts to genocide," US foreign policy was a political question over which courts lacked jurisdiction. On November 28,the U. Air Force C Globemaster aircraft to Egypt where they were then transported via ground into Gaza and then distributed by U.

In their meeting, Austin condemned Hamas' attack against Israel on October 7 and called for the release of all hostages held by Hamas. He also conveyed strong concerns over the humanitarian situation in Gaza and requested Minister Gantz's support in enabling more humanitarian assistance and distribution into Gaza. Austin emphasized the sec def biography need for a credible and implementable plan for protecting civilians and addressing the humanitarian situation prior to any ground operations in Rafah.

On March 8,the Defense Department announced plans to undertake an emergency mission to establish a temporary pier on the coast of Gaza to deliver up to 2, humanitarian aid meals per-day. During a Pentagon press briefing, Pentagon press secretary Maj. Pat Ryder said, "This is part of a full-court press by the United States to not only focus on working on opening up and expanding routes via land, which are the optimal way to get aid into Gaza, but also by conducting air drops," in reference to the more thanmeals that have been dropped into Gaza by the U.

Central Command helped deliver about The Financial Times estimated less than trucks of aid were delivered via the pier, about two days of aid to Gaza before the war, calling the pier a "colossal failure". On July 10,the Biden administration resumed shipments of the pound bombs to Israel, [ ] which were halted in May over concerns about the humanitarian impact of Israel's use of them in killing Palestinians in Gaza.

On July 31,following the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh by Israel, Austin reiterated an "unwavering commitment" to Israel's security and said the United States would come to its defense if needed. On October 17,Austin spoke with Israeli minister of defense Yoav Gallant to discuss reports on the killing of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwarthe architect of the terrorist assault on Israel on October 7,in which 1, Israelis and other civilians from more than 30 countries, including the U.

Austin also expressed strong support for the immediate release of all remaining hostages and a ceasefire in Gaza. Sinwar's death will not heal the wounds of the October 7th atrocities that he plotted, or the many deaths for which he is responsible, but I hope that it may bring some small measure of justice and solace to the families and the loved ones of the many victims of Sinwar's premeditated cruelty.

The PRC is our pacing challenge.

Sec def biography: Lloyd James Austin III

And we're driving hard to meet it. Our budget builds on our previous investments to deter aggression. We're investing in a more resilient force posture in the Indo-Pacific and increasing the scale and the scope of our exercises with our partners. And in recent months, our friends in the Indo-Pacific have taken major steps forward. The Philippines has agreed to nearly double the number of sites where we cooperate together.

Japan has committed to double its defense spending.

Sec def biography: Lloyd James Austin III was sworn

And through the historic AUKUS partnership, we'll work with our Australian and British allies to build game-changing defense advantages that will deter aggression and boost our defense industrial capacity. During his tenure as Secretary of Defense, Austin made thirteen official visits to the Indo-Pacific region. His 13th trip in December was to Japan where he engaged with U.

On March 16,the Japan-U. The meeting was attended by Austin and Blinken from the U. The four ministers reaffirmed that the Japan-U. Alliance remains the "cornerstone" of peace, security, and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region, and renewed the unwavering commitment of both countries to the Japan-U. Austin's visit came as the United States and Japan took important strides to modernize Alliance capabilities, optimize U.

Following the meeting, DoD officials stated, "the unbreakable alliance sec def biography the United States and Australia has never been stronger" and "it is doing more than ever for peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific. In JulyAustin made his eleventh official visit to the Indo-Pacific region where he conducted a series of engagements with counterparts and other senior officials in Japan and the Philippines.

The four ministers also convened a historic ministerial meeting on Extended Deterrence. Together, the four officials discussed opportunities to strengthen sec def biography peace, stability, and prosperity in the face of shared challenges. Together they reaffirmed the strength of the U. While there, Austin participated in a groundbreaking ceremony for a new bilateral Combined Coordination Center and signed a General Security of Military Information Agreementboth of which will increase information flow and deepen interoperability.

In MarchAustin made a three-day visit to Indiawhere he met with his Indian counterpart Rajnath Singhand other senior government officials. Austin urged India to cancel the planned purchase of Russia's S air defence system. Austin made a second visit to India in Junewhere he again met with Defense Minister Rajnath Singh as well as other senior leaders to discuss the ongoing joint efforts to modernize the U.

The India-U. During a press conference following Austin's visit to New Delhi, a senior Defense Department official described the progress between the U. On June 11,Austin condemned China 's "provocative, destabilising" military activity near Taiwan[ ] a day after China's defence minister Wei Fenghe warned Austin that "if anyone dares to sec def biography Taiwan from China, the Chinese army will definitely not hesitate to start a war no matter the cost.

That includes assisting Taiwan in maintaining a sufficient self-defense capability. It was the first time Austin had talked to Dong and the first time Austin had spoken at length with any Chinese counterpart since November During their meeting, Austin expressed concern about recent provocative PLA activity around the Taiwan Straitand he reiterated that the PRC should not use Taiwan's political transition — part of a normal, routine democratic process — as a pretext for coercive measures.

Austin underscored that the US remains committed to its longstanding one China policy, and also reaffirmed the importance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. He delivered plenary remarks and announced the first-ever DoD Vision Statement for a Prosperous and Secure Southeast Asia that details ways to increase practical cooperation between the United States and Southeast Asia.

During his meetings, Austin emphasized the U. On the margins of ADMM Plus, Austin convened the first-ever meeting with defense leaders from Australia, Japan, the Philippines, and the Republic of Korea to discuss their shared commitment to advance a free and open Indo-Pacific, where international law and sovereignty are respected. The trilateral security partnership among the U.

The first is to enable Australia's acquisition of conventionally armed, nuclear-powered submarine capability as rapidly as possible, most likely in the early s. The second pillar is to accelerate emerging capabilities, including uncrewed maritime systems, artificial intelligence, autonomy, electronic warfare, quantum, cyber and hypersonics.

Our three proud democracies share a deep and binding belief in the rules based international order and in a system that respects human rights upholds the rule of law and insists that disputes be resolved peacefully. We also understand that we are stronger together, and that's the lens that we all used again today. The first AUKUS Innovation Challenge was drawn from a trilaterally agreed problem set that the partner defense forces face and focused on electronic warfare.

In a statement issued on September 15,marking the second anniversary of the establishment of AUKUS, Austin said: "I am incredibly proud of the tireless work of this department and our U. Working together over these past two years, we have accelerated efforts toward our common goals faster than anyone would have thought possible. During his November visit to Australia, Austin met with Australian deputy prime minister Richard Marles and Japanese minister of defense Nakatani Gen for a historic Trilateral Defense Ministers' Meeting where they announced initiatives to expand the scale and scope of trilateral cooperation and enhance force posture in the region.

On February 19,Austin told reporters at the Pentagon that the Biden Administration had not yet determined whether the U. That same month, Biden directed his national security team, including Austin, to begin withdrawal planning that accounted for a range of possible contingencies, including a non-combatant evacuation operation NEO. It's time for American troops to come home," he said.

Soon after the withdrawal of U. On August 12,following continued Taliban victories across Afghanistan, the Biden Administration announced that 3, U. On February 24,Russian president Vladimir Putin launched an invasion of Ukrainestating the "special military operation" is aimed at "demilitarization" and "denazification" of the country to protect ethnic Russians, prevent Kyiv's NATO membership and to keep it in Russia's "sphere of influence".

Austin immediately ordered deployment of 7, U. They discussed America's stalwart support for the Ukrainian government and Ukrainian people, including through the U. In his opening comments he articulated the purpose of the gathering, "to help Ukraine win the fight against Russia's unjust invasion—and to build up Ukraine's defenses for tomorrow's challenges".

Austin also made clear that the invasion of Ukraine was a "war of choice". We all start today from a position of moral clarity: Russia is waging a war of choice to indulge the ambitions of one man. It is an affront to the rules-based international order. It is a challenge to free people everywhere. And, as we see this morning, nations of goodwill from around the world stand united in our resolve to support Ukraine in its fight against Russia's imperial aggression.

And that's the way it should be The contact group will be a vehicle for nations of goodwill to intensify our efforts, coordinate our assistance, and focus on winning today's fight and the struggles to come. March 28, New York. Harry S. Truman — Louis A. Johnson [ 30 ]. September 19, West Virginia. George C. Marshall [ 31 ]. September 21, September 12, Robert A.

Lovett [ 32 ]. Charles Erwin Wilson [ 33 ]. January 28, October 8, Dwight D. Eisenhower — Neil H. McElroy [ 34 ]. October 9, Thomas S. Gates Jr. December 2, Robert McNamara [ 36 ]. February 29, John F. Kennedy — Lyndon B. Johnson — Clark Clifford [ 37 ]. Lyndon B. Melvin Laird [ 38 ]. January 29, Richard Nixon — Elliot Richardson [ 39 ]. January 30, Bill Clements Acting [ 40 ].

James R. Schlesinger [ 41 ]. July 2, November 19, Richard Nixon — Gerald Ford — Donald Rumsfeld [ 42 ]. November 20, Gerald Ford — Harold Brown [ 43 ]. Jimmy Carter — Caspar Weinberger [ 44 ]. November 23, Ronald Reagan — Frank Carlucci [ 45 ]. March 21, George H. Bush — Dick Cheney [ 47 ]. February 3, Bill Clinton — William Perry [ 51 ] [ 49 ] [ 52 ].

January 24, William Cohen [ 53 ]. Donald Rumsfeld [ 54 ]. December 18, George W. Robert Gates [ 55 ] [ 49 ]. June 30, Bush — Barack Obama — Leon Panetta [ 56 ]. February 26, Barack Obama — Chuck Hagel [ 57 ]. February 27, February 17, Ash Carter [ 58 ] [ 49 ]. Jim Mattis [ 59 ]. January 1, Donald Trump — Patrick M. Shanahan Acting [ 60 ].