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TITLE IX — DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE ORGANIZATION AND MANAGEMENT

Subtitle A — Department of Defense Management

NDAA Section

House Conference Report 110-477

SEC. 908. ASSISTANT SECRETARIES OF THE MILITARY DEPARTMENTS FOR ACQUISITION MATTERS; PRINCIPAL MILITARY DEPUTIES.

(a) Department of the Army- Section 3016(b) of title 10, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph:

`(5)(A) One of the Assistant Secretaries shall be the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics. The principal duty of the Assistant Secretary shall be the overall supervision of acquisition, technology, and logistics matters of the Department of the Army.

`(B) The Assistant Secretary shall have a Principal Military Deputy, who shall be a lieutenant general of the Army on active duty. The Principal Military Deputy shall be appointed from among officers who have significant experience in the areas of acquisition and program management. The position of Principal Military Deputy shall be designated as a critical acquisition position under section 1733 of this title.'.

(b) Department of the Navy- Section 5016(b) of such title is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph:

`(4)(A) One of the Assistant Secretaries shall be the Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research, Development, and Acquisition. The principal duty of the Assistant Secretary shall be the overall supervision of research, development, and acquisition matters of the Department of the Navy.

`(B) The Assistant Secretary shall have a Principal Military Deputy, who shall be a vice admiral of the Navy or a lieutenant general of the Marine Corps on active duty. The Principal Military Deputy shall be appointed from among officers who have significant experience in the areas of acquisition and program management. The position of Principal Military Deputy shall be designated as a critical acquisition position under section 1733 of this title.'.

(c) Department of the Air Force- Section 8016(b) of such title is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph:

`(4)(A) One of the Assistant Secretaries shall be the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition. The principal duty of the Assistant Secretary shall be the overall supervision of acquisition matters of the Department of the Air Force.

`(B) The Assistant Secretary shall have a Principal Military Deputy, who shall be a lieutenant general of the Air Force on active duty. The Principal Military Deputy shall be appointed from among officers who have significant experience in the areas of acquisition and program management. The position of Principal Military Deputy shall be designated as a critical acquisition position under section 1733 of this title.'.

(d) Duty of Principal Military Deputies To Inform Service Chiefs on Major Defense Acquisition Programs- Each Principal Military Deputy to a service acquisition executive shall be responsible for keeping the Chief of Staff of the Armed Force concerned informed of the progress of major defense acquisition programs.

The Senate amendment contained a provision (sec. 905) that would require the appointment of a three-star officer as the principal deputy to the service acquisition executive in each of the military departments. The provision would exclude the principal deputies from distribution limitations on flag and general officers.

The House bill contained no similar provision.

The House recedes with an amendment that would designate the three-star officers as principal military deputies, rather than principal deputies, to the service acquisition executives. The conferees recommend this change to preserve the option for the military departments to appoint principal civilian deputies to the service acquisition executives in addition to the principal military deputies.

The provision would not address the distribution limitations on flag and general officers. This issue is addressed by a provision elsewhere in the conference report that would amend section 525 of title 10, United States Code, to authorize an increase in the number of flag or general officers in each of the military services serving in a grade above rear admiral or major general.

Senate Armed Services Committee Report 110-77

The committee recommends a provision that would require the appointment of a three-star principal military deputy for the service acquisition executive in each of the military departments. The provision would require that the principal military deputy be appointed from among officers who have significant experience in the areas of acquisition and program management and that they keep the respective chiefs of staff informed of the progress of major defense acquisition programs.

At present, the acquisition executives for the Army and the Air Force have military deputies. However, the officers selected to serve in these positions often lack significant experience in the key areas of acquisition and program management. The acquisition executive for the Navy does not have a military deputy.

The appointment of qualified principal military deputies for the service acquisition executives should: (1) strengthen the performance of the service acquisition executives; (2) improve the oversight provided to military officers serving in acquisition commands; and (3) strengthen the acquisition career field in the military.