The U.S. Department of Defense

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The U.S. Department of Defense
The Cabinet
The American cabinet constitutes the vice president and the cabinet secretaries of the 15 departments. This is what forms the executive arm of the American government. They were formed to cover virtually all facets of American society and governance to consider every citizen's needs and the larger American economy. Out of the 15 departments of interest, this discussion will major on the defense department and its secretary. It is one of the most critical cabinet divisions and one that continues to play a vital role even to this day, with the constant global upheavals.
Background
The Department of Defense is one of the most crucial portfolios in the American government. As its name indicates, the department is solely responsible for the nation's security, both within and outside its borders. Therefore, it is in charge of coordinating and implementing everything related to security, from the ground to the air force. According to McCarthy, it is the biggest employer on the planet, with around 3.2 million people on its payroll. This illustrates just how important the office is and how much weight the American government has placed upon the office. There is always a lot at stake when it comes to matters to do with national security.
It was formed in 1947 upon President Harry Truman's suggestion that there was a need to form a unified front when it came to defense to avoid miscommunication, conflicts, and extravagance within the nation's military. This was then incorporated in the National Security Act of 1947, which finally gave birth to the Department of Defense in 1949, after being christened National Military Establishment before then. Therefore, under this office, all the other separate military aspects were brought under one roof. These included the air force, the Central Intelligence Agency, and the National Security Council.
The first president to nominate a candidate for the secretary of defense was Harry Truman. The latter did so in 1947 after the enactment of the National Security Act that consolidated all the military branches under one office and hence one person answerable to the president. Therefore, James Vincent Forrestal became the first secretary of defense in the newly formed office and served between 1947 and 1949, before his demise the same year. During this time, there were many postwar hangovers within all sectors of ...