The United States Under Secretary of the Army is the second-highest ranking civilian official of the United States Department of the Army

United States Department of the Army

The Department of the Army is one of the three military departments within the Department of Defense of the United States of America. The Department of the Army is the Federal Government agency which the United States Army is organized within, and it is led by the Secretary of the Army who has...

, serving directly under the United States Secretary of the Army

United States Secretary of the Army

The Secretary of the Army is a civilian official within the Department of Defense of the United States of America with statutory responsibility for all matters relating to the United States Army: manpower, personnel, reserve affairs, installations, environmental issues, weapons systems and...

. The Secretary and Under Secretary, together with two military officers, the Chief of Staff of the United States Army

Chief of Staff of the United States Army

The Chief of Staff of the Army is a statutory office held by a four-star general in the United States Army, and is the most senior uniformed officer assigned to serve in the Department of the Army, and as such is the principal military advisor and a deputy to the Secretary of the Army; and is in...

 and the Vice Chief of Staff of the United States Army

Vice Chief of Staff of the United States Army

The Vice Chief of Staff of the United States Army is the principal advisor and assistant to the Army Chief of Staff, the second-highest ranking officer in the US Army. He handles the day to day administration of the Army bureaucracy, freeing the Chief of Staff to attend to the interservice...

, constitute the senior leaders of the United States Army

United States Army

The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...

.

The following officials report to the Under Secretary of the Army: the Assistant Secretary of the Army (Manpower and Reserve Affairs)

Assistant Secretary of the Army (Manpower and Reserve Affairs)

The Assistant Secretary of the Army — abbreviated ASA — is a civilian official in the United States Department of the Army.U.S...

, the Assistant Secretary of the Army (Installations, Energy and Environment)

Assistant Secretary of the Army (Installations, Energy and Environment)

Assistant Secretary of the Army is a civilian office in the United States Department of the Army....

, the Assistant Secretary of the Army (Civil Works)

Assistant Secretary of the Army (Civil Works)

The Assistant Secretary of the Army , abbreviated ASA, is an office of the United States Department of the Army responsible for overseeing the civil functions of the United States Army...

, the Assistant Secretary of the Army (Acquisition, Logistics and Technology)

United States Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics, and Technology

The Office of the United States Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics, and Technology is known as OASA...

, the Assistant Secretary of the Army (Financial Management and Comptroller)

Assistant Secretary of the Army (Financial Management and Comptroller)

Assistant Secretary of the Army is a civilian office in the United States Department of the Army.-History and Mission:...

, and the General Counsel of the United States Army. There are also two Deputy Under Secretaries of the Army who assist the Under Secretary in his tasks.

The current Under Secretary of the Army is Joseph W. Westphal

Joseph W. Westphal

Joseph W. Westphal is the United States Under Secretary of the Army in the United States Department of the Army.Westphal was born in Santiago, Chile. Joseph Westphal served as Chancellor of the University of Maine System and Professor of Political Science at the University of Maine...

.

History

The office was created in 1947 as part of the general reorganization of the United States Armed Forces

United States armed forces

The United States Armed Forces are the military forces of the United States. They consist of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast Guard.The United States has a strong tradition of civilian control of the military...

 occasioned by the National Security Act of 1947

National Security Act of 1947

The National Security Act of 1947 was signed by United States President Harry S. Truman on July 26, 1947, and realigned and reorganized the U.S. Armed Forces, foreign policy, and Intelligence Community apparatus in the aftermath of World War II...

. The office was initially styled "Under Secretary of War" and was created by Department of War

United States Department of War

The United States Department of War, also called the War Department , was the United States Cabinet department originally responsible for the operation and maintenance of the United States Army...

 General Order 67, dated July 25, 1947. Three weeks later, on August 16, 1947, Department of War Circular 225 redesignated the position as "Under Secretary of the Army".

List of Under Secretaries of the Army

The following men have held the post:

Name	Tenure start	Tenure end
William Henry Draper, Jr.
Gordon Gray
Tracy Voorhees Tracy Voorhees Tracy Stebbins Voorhees served as Under Secretary of the United States Army from August 1949 to April 1950. He held numerous positions with in the U.S. Government as a civilian...
Archibald S. Alexander Archibald S. Alexander Archibald Stevens Alexander was an American lawyer, civil servant, and Democratic politician. He served as Under Secretary of the United States Army in the Truman Administration and as New Jersey State Treasurer....
Karl R. Bendesten Karl Bendetsen Karl Robin Bendetsen was born in Aberdeen, Washington. His parents, Albert M. and Anna Bendetson, were first-generation American citizens, and his grandparents were Jewish immigrants from Eastern Europe...
Earl D. Johnson Earl D. Johnson Earl D. Johnson was the 4th United States Under Secretary of the Army from 1952 to 1954.-Biography:Earl D. Johnson was born in Hamilton, Ohio on December 14, 1905. He was educated at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, receiving a B.A. in 1928...
John Slezak John Slezak -Biography:John Slezak was born in Stará Turá, Austria–Hungary on April 18, 1896. After immigrating to the United States in 1916, Slezak enlisted in the United States Army in 1917 and was posted to the Rock Island Arsenal, where he became head of a department in the small arms division. In 1919,...
Charles C. Finucane Charles C. Finucane Charles C. Finucane was a government official, and banking and investments executive.-Early life:He was born in Spokane, Washington and attended the Taft School in Watertown, Connecticut...
Hugh M. Milton II Hugh M. Milton II Hugh Meglone Milton II was a Major General of the United States Army during World War II who served as United States Under Secretary of the Army from 1958 to 1961.-Biography:Hugh M. Milton II was born in 1897...
Stephen Ailes Stephen Ailes Stephen Ailes was a prominent member of the District of Columbia Bar and a partner in the firm of Steptoe & Johnson. He served as the United States Under Secretary of the Army from February 9, 1961 to January 28, 1964 and as United States Secretary of the Army from January 28 ,1964 to July 1, 1965...
Paul Robert Ignatius Paul Robert Ignatius Paul Robert Ignatius is an American former administrator. He served as Secretary of the Navy between 1967 and 1969 and was the Assistant Secretary of Defense under the Johnson administration.-Life and career:...
Stanley Rogers Resor Stanley Rogers Resor Stanley Rogers Resor is a former lawyer, U.S. military officer, and government official.Born in New York City, he was the son of Stanley B. Resor , president of the J. W. Thompson advertising agency and one of the originators of the modern advertising industry...
David E. McGiffert David E. McGiffert David E. McGiffert was a United States lawyer and Pentagon official who dealt with domestic security during the social upheavals of the late 1960s.-Biography:...
Thaddeus Beal Thaddeus Beal Thaddeus R. Beal was born in New York City on 22 March 1917.He graduated from The Hotchkiss School in Connecticut and received a B.A. degree from Yale University, 1939. He served in U.S. Naval Reserve attaining rank of lieutenant commander, 1941-1945. He received an LL.B. degree from Harvard Law...
Kenneth E. BeLieu Kenneth E. BeLieu Kenneth E. BeLieu was the United States Assistant Secretary of the Navy 1961-65, Under Secretary of the Navy in 1965; Under Secretary of the Army 1971-73; and then director of the National Petroleum Council in the late 1970s.-Early Life:Kenneth E. BeLieu was born in Portland, Oregon on February...
Herman R. Staudt Herman R. Staudt Herman R. Staudt was United States Under Secretary of the Army from 1973 to 1975.-Biography:Herman R. Staudt was born in Yonkers, New York on June 29, 1926. At age 19, he enrolled in the United States Army in 1945, in the midst of World War II. He served in the Army until 1947, leaving with the...
Norman Ralph Augustine Norman Ralph Augustine Norman Ralph Augustine is a U.S. aerospace businessman who served as Under Secretary of the Army from 1975-77. Augustine currently serves as chairman of the Review of United States Human Space Flight Plans Committee.-Career:...
Walter B. LaBerge Walter B. LaBerge Walter Barber LaBerge was an aerospace engineer and defense industry executive who served as United States Under Secretary of the Army from 1977 to 1980.-Biography:...
Harry Spiro, Jr.
James R. Ambrose James R. Ambrose James R. Ambrose was an aerospace executive who was United States Under Secretary of the Army from 1981 to 1988.-Biography:James R. Ambrose was born August 16, 1922, in Brewer, Maine. He was educated at the University of Maine, graduating in 1943...
Michael P. W. Stone
John W. Shannon John W. Shannon John W. Shannon was United States Under Secretary of the Army from 1989 to 1993.-Biography:John W. Shannon was born in Louisville, Kentucky on September 13, 1933. He was educated at Central State University, graduating with a B.S. in 1955....
Joe R. Reeder Joe R. Reeder Joe Robert Reeder is a United States lawyer who served as United States Under Secretary of the Army from 1993 to 1997.-Biography:...
Robert M. Walker Robert M. Walker Robert Michael Walker was United States Under Secretary of the Army 1997-1998.-Biography:Robert M. Walker was born in Martin, Tennessee, in 1948. He attended the University of Tennessee. From 1969-1976, he worked as a staff assistant to Rep. Joe L. Evins .Walker joined the staff of Senator Jim...
Bernard D. Rostker Bernard D. Rostker Bernard Daniel Rostker was Director of the United States Selective Service System from 1977 to 1979; Assistant Secretary of the Navy from 1994 to 1998; Under Secretary of the Army from 1998 to 2000; and Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness in 2000-2001...
Gregory R. Dahlberg Gregory R. Dahlberg Gregory Robert Dahlberg was United States Under Secretary of the Army from 2000 to 2001.-Biography:Gregory R. Dahlberg was raised in the Minneapolis – Saint Paul area. After high school, he attended Luther College in Decorah, Iowa, receiving a B.A. in Business Administration and Political Science...
Les Brownlee Les Brownlee Romie Leslie "Les" Brownlee served as the Acting United States Secretary of the Army from 10 May 2003 until his resignation effective 2 December 2004....
Pete Geren Pete Geren Preston M. "Pete" Geren, III served as the 20th United States Secretary of the Army from July 16, 2007 to September 16, 2009...
Nelson M. Ford Nelson M. Ford Nelson McCain Ford was United States Under Secretary of the Army from 2007 to 2009.-Biography:Nelson M. Ford was educated at Duke University Nelson McCain Ford (born June 3, 1947 in Wilmington, Delaware) was United States Under Secretary of the Army from 2007 to 2009.-Biography:Nelson M. Ford was...
Joseph W. Westphal Joseph W. Westphal Joseph W. Westphal is the United States Under Secretary of the Army in the United States Department of the Army.Westphal was born in Santiago, Chile. Joseph Westphal served as Chancellor of the University of Maine System and Professor of Political Science at the University of Maine...		present