Purpose of Defense Department
The United States Department of Defense--often abbreviated as the DoD--is the U.S. federal department that oversees the country’s national security and armed forces. It is led by the Secretary of Defense, and the Department is headquartered in the Pentagon.
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Service Departments
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The DoD is mainly composed of the Departments of the Army, the Navy and the Air Force, responsible for U.S. warfare on ground, at sea and in air, respectively. Other service departments include the Coast Guard, Reserve and several continental divisions charged with guarding U.S. security interests oversees.
Agencies
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The DoD comprises several defense-related agencies, some of which are the Defense Intelligence Agency, the National Security Agency and the Missile Defense Agency.
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Department of Homeland Security
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The DoD also works in conjunction with the Department of Homeland Security, which is specifically responsible for protecting the U.S. from terrorist attacks and natural disasters.
Other Duties
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Besides being charged with ensuring national security through its armed forces, the DoD also participates in humanitarian aid, peacekeeping and disaster relief.
Significance
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The DoD is the oldest and largest U.S. government agency. As of 2010, according to its web site, almost 2.5 million citizens serve in the military, the National Guard and Reserve forces; more than 600,000 civilians are under its employ.
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