United States Department of Defense

The United States Department of Defense (DoD, USDOD or DOD) is a US government agency responsible for overseeing and coordinating all agencies of the United States Armed Forces and national security. By 2020, the DoD oversees the Army, Navy, Aerospace Force, and Marine Corps. It also oversees the CIA and MIC.

History
In the 1960's, the NSA hired over 22,000 individuals a year as analysts. Many "operatives" of the NSA were "attached to the Department of Defense."

The United States Department of Defense was led by SecDef Jonathan Seward in the early 1990's. Seward was asked to address Congress on August 17, 1996, where he announced the Constitution of the United States to be suspended in order to deal with the effects of the Collapse; establishing "kampgruppes" and reorganizing the military into new Combined Operational Groups.

Shortly after the declaration of martial law, numerous theoretical mathematicians in the military intelligence community noticed incongruities in how various government agencies were operating in sync. These included numerous unauthorized "black ops" by the CIA and NSA. The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs formed the new department of the Military Intelligence Cooperative to help sift through the vast duplication in the nine intelligence agencies of the United States military. The machinations of the "deep state" Gang of Four saw it in conflict with the Department of Defense; with its effects culminating in the Mideast Meltdown. This directly led SecDef/President Seward into immediately opening personnel files into investigating the Gang.

The DoD under the helm of de facto President Seward came to discover the vast conspiracy of the Gang of Four, and immediately dissolved the DEA and FBI, their tasks being taken over by the MIC.

In 2002, SecDef/President Seward was killed by an irate Nomad. General William Newell, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs became the new Secretary of Defense and de facto President of the United States. The DoD soon became embroiled in the Second Central American War as a result of the machinations of the NSA/CIA. As half of the Special Operations Command was attached to the CIA and the secretary was an ex-beret himself, his connections led to his discovery of the true nature of the Gang of Four. Newell offered the SOC full immunity if it testified, and learned that the Gang had orchestrated the deaths of thirteen members of the federal government, including the former President himself, and his predecessor John Seward. After the testimony of the SOC, the CIA was co-opted into the plan to eliminate the NSA as plants for the government.

In March 2004, a Washington bloodbath rid the NSA and CIA of their mid-level operatives, firmly establishing the CIA's place in the new government. It would take another four years of covert fighting to fully eliminate the NSA, causing irreparable damage to the US intelligence community.

On November 7, 2008, the Department of Defense returned control of government to the Federal Senate with the first free elections after twelve years.

Organizational structure
The Department of Defense consists of the Joint Chiefs of Staff who advise the Secretary of Defense. As part of SecDef Seward's reorganization of American government, the SecDef became the number three post in the American government. Only the Regional Committee can replace the SecDef with an unanimous vote. The SOD cannot have been a part of the Regional Committee, or one of the Joint Chiefs. Additionally, the SOD cannot be appointed with each new President, the position considered so specialized and vital that it cannot be interfered with by politics.

Under the Secretary of Defense are the Staff Commanders of each of the armed branches: Army, Navy, Aerospace Force, and Marine Corps.

Military liaisons are embedded within each Regional Committee, and are a representative from the military governor's office. The liaisons ensure that military interests are represented, and improve cooperation between military and civilian authorities. While viewed poorly by the general populace, the US military remains the only force capable of keeping local corporations in line.

Defense agencies
Under the Department of Defense are the Office of the Inspector General, Office of Management and Budget, Defense Administration Research Projects Agency, Defense Procurement Agency, Veterans Affairs Bureau, Office of Military Justice and Department of Compensation.

National intelligence agencies
National intelligence agencies under the Department of Defense consist of the Central Intelligence Agency, and Military Intelligence Cooperative. The National Security Agency was officially removed as an intelligence agency in 2004 for its involvement in the Gang of Four.

Combined Operational Group
The Combined Operational Group was a new organizational structure of military deployments in the United States created during the martial law period and reorganizations of 1992-93. Each military unit was to be equip with as many organic combat units as possible in order for each unit to be able to operate independently. While initially criticized by many within the DoD, supporters argued that the old Combat Command system of the 1930s-40's hadn't worked well under fire. COG's brought units together from different services, all living and operating out of the same base and as a single COG. The military's role shifted from power projection to national defense and maintaining the balance of power against corporations within the country itself as epitomized by Operation Big Stick.

As of 2020, the United States has seven COG's:


 * Northeast (NECOG)
 * Appalachia (ACOG)
 * Dixie (DIXCOG)
 * Midwest (MIDCOG)
 * Great Plains (GPCOG)
 * Southwest (SWCOG)
 * Pacific Northwest (PACCOG)

Budget
The Cold War saw the United States maintain one of the largest armed forces on Earth, with billions spent on maintaining the military-industrial complex. With the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 and the "peace dividend" of the 1990's after the invasion of Iraq, the United States military budget was reduced accordingly. The large battle units that used to dominate the battlefields of the world were replaced for a set of small, fast, rapid-deployment units that could act independently.

The United States DoD maintains a cordial relation with many of the large corporations owing to its immense budget and resource requirements. Chief among these are EBM, IEC, Militech, Orbital Air, Petrochem, WorldSat, and until the Fourth Corporate War, Arasaka.

Mercenaries
Militech has strong ties to the US military owing to former USMC General Lundee being its CEO. This influence includes participation in secret military projects, sales, and leasing Militech troops for Army and Marine Corps forces. When used in this fashion, Militech troops don regulation US uniforms and are identified as US mercenaries by their shoulder insignia.