The DOD budget was approximately $718.3 billion for fiscal 2020. The assistant secretary of defense for manpower and reserve affairs leads the Office of Manpower and Reserve Affairs. With eight organizations supported by nearly 27,000 personnel spanning three locations, the department supports the total force by planning, directing, coordinating and supervising the more than 2.1 million active and reserve service members and 742,000 civilian personnel.
• Ensures the development and delivery of all personnel policy, both civilian and military and implements human resource solutions that support the Total Force and mission readiness.
• Delivers credible advice and information proactively about the capabilities of the reserve components and develops the policies and resources necessary to fully exploit those capabilities.
• Develops policies and legislation to ensure operational and strategic reserve components that are seamlessly integrated with the total force supporting national security at home and abroad.
• Oversees the operations of the Department of Defense education activity, the Defense Commissary Agency and the Armed Forces retirement home and provides policy oversight of the Office of Family and Employer Programs and Policy.
• Engages Congress on issues impacting the manpower and reserve affairs portfolio, responds to congressional inquiries and meets with members of Congress and professional staff members of key defense committees on a regular basis to address major issues impacting total force.
• Provides relevant and timely policy, as well as procedural updates to Congress, the military service leadership, Defense department policy influencers, service members, civilians, their families, veterans, service providers and volunteers.