Secretary of Defense (Zamastan)
| Secretary of State | |
|---|---|
| Nominator | President |
| Appointer | President of Zamastan |
| Term length | At the President's Pleasure No fixed term |
The Secretary of Defense of Zamastan is the leader and chief executive officer of the Zamastan Department of Defense, the executive department of the Armed Forces of Zamastan. The Secretary of Defense's position of command and authority over the Zamastan military is second only to that of the President of Zamastan. This position corresponds to what is generally known as a Defense Minister in many other countries. The Secretary of Defense is appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the Congressional Hall, and is by custom a member of the Cabinet and by law a member of the National Security Council.
Secretary of Defense is a statutory office, and the Secretary of Defense has authority, direction and control over the Department of Defense. This is further designated by the same statute as the principal assistant to the President in all matters relating to the Department of Defense. Ensuring civilian control of the military, an individual may not be appointed as Secretary of Defense within seven years after relief from active duty as a commissioned officer of a regular (i.e., non-reserve) component of an armed force.
The Secretary of Defense is in the chain of command and exercises command and control, for both operational and administrative purposes subject only to the orders of the President, over all Department of Defense forces: the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, and Air Force. This is also extended to the Zamastan Coast Guard during any period of time in which its command and control is transferred to the Department of Defense. Only the Secretary of Defense (or the president or Congressional Hall) can authorize the transfer of operational control of forces between the three Military Departments (the departments of the Army, Navy, and Air Force) and the 10 Combatant Commands. Because the Office of Secretary of Defense is vested with legal powers which exceed those of any commissioned officer, and is second only to the President in the military hierarchy, it has sometimes unofficially been referred to as a de facto "deputy commander-in-chief". The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is the principal military adviser to the Secretary of Defense and the President, and while the Chairman may assist the Secretary and President in their command functions, the Chairman is not in the chain of command.
The Secretary of Defense, Secretary of State, the Chief of Staff, and the Treasurer are generally regarded as the four most important cabinet officials because of the importance of their departments.
The current Secretary of Defense is retired Zamastan Marine Corps general Curtis Fondaden, who was confirmed and sworn in on January 1st, 2016.