Federal Position Descriptions
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Assistant Secretary for Special Operations and Low Intensity Conflict

Assistant Secretary for Special Operations and Low Intensity Conflict, Department of Defense
Responsibility
Management Scope

The assistant secretary of defense for special operations and low-intensity conflict currently has three deputies.5 The assistant secretary serves as the principal official charged with oversight over all warfighting capabilities within the senior management of the Department of Defense, after the secretary and deputy secretary.6

Primary Responsibilities

• Advises the secretary of defense on special operations and low-intensity conflict
• Has the principal duty of overall supervision of special operations and low-intensity conflict activities, including oversight of policy and resources
• Is responsible for core tasks that include, according to the United States Special Operations Command’s 2007 Posture Statement: counterterrorism; unconventional warfare; direct action; special reconnaissance; foreign internal defense; civil affairs, information and psychological operations; and counter-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction7
• Oversees the Department of Defense’s counter-narcotics program
• Has policy oversight for strategic capabilities and force transformation and resources, which includes oversight of capability development to include general-purpose forces; space and information capabilities; nuclear and conventional strike capabilities; and missile defense
• Serves as the principal official charged with oversight over all warfighting capabilities within the senior management of the DOD, after the secretary and deputy secretary8

Strategic Goals and Priorities
[Depends on the policy priorities of the administration.]
Requirements

• Prior public or private management experience for multiple specialized work divisions representing hundreds of employees and hundreds of millions of dollars in funding
• Senior executive oversight experience within the Department of Defense (a plus)
• Previous military service in special forces or low-intensity conflict units (a plus)

Competencies

• Ability to provide resource oversight for multiple low-intensity conflict topic areas and operations
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills
• Ability to work under pressure
• Ability to handle sensitive matters

Past Appointments
  • Michael D. Lumpkin (2013 to 2017) – Senior Executive, Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs; Special Assistant to the Secretary of Defense; Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations and Low-Intensity Conflict9
  • Michael A. Sheehan (2011 to 2013) – Deputy Commissioner of the New York City Police Department; Assistant Secretary General of Mission Support for the U.N. Department of Peacekeeping Operations; Ambassador-at-Large for Counter Terrorism10
  • Michael G. Vickers (2007 to 2011) – Senior Vice President, Strategic Studies, Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments; Army Special Forces Officer; Special Forces Officer; CIA Operations Officer11
AGENCY

Department of Defense

Mission: The mission of the Department of Defense is to provide the military forces needed to deter war and to protect the security of our country.1

COMPENSATION

Level IV $155,500 (5 U.S.C. § 5315)3

REPORTS TO

Undersecretary of Defense for Policy4

SENATE COMMITTEE

Armed Services

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Footnote
  1. http://www.defense.gov/About-DoD
  2. http://policy.defense.gov/OUSDP-Offices/ASD-for-Special-Operations-Low-Intensity-Conflict/
  3. The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2017 (Public Law 115-31, May 5, 2017), contains a provision that continues the freeze on the payable pay rates for certain senior political officials at 2013 levels during calendar year 2017.
  4. OPM
  5. 2017 data
  6. http://policy.defense.gov/OUSDP-Offices/ASD-for-Special-Operations-Low-Intensity-Conflict/PartnershipStrategyandStabilityOperations/
  7. http://policy.defense.gov/OUSDP-Offices/ASD-for-Special-Operations-Low-Intensity-Conflict/
  8. http://policy.defense.gov/OUSDP-Offices/ASD-for-Special-Operations-Low-Intensity-Conflict/
  9. http://policy.defense.gov/OUSDP-Offices/ASD-for-Special-Operations-Low-Intensity-Conflict/
  10. http://docs.house.gov/meetings/AS/AS00/20130214/100260/HHRG-113-AS00-Bio-SheehanM-20130214.pdf
  11. http://docs.house.gov/meetings/AS/AS26/20130227/100320/HHRG-113-AS26-Bio-VickersM-20130227.pdf
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