United States Secretary of Defense to die was Frank Carlucci (1987–1989), on 3 June 2018. United States Secretary of Defense The Secretary of Defense (SecDef) is the leader and chief executive officer of the United States Department of Defense, the executive department of the Armed Forces of the United States. The Secretary of Defense's position of command and authority over the United States' military is second only to that of the President and Congress, respectively. 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
Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering this position has been named over time, as well as all the holders of those various offices. Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering The Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (USD(R&E)) is a senior official of the United States Department of Defense. The USD(R&E) and the office s/he heads are charged with the development and oversight of DoD technology strategy for the DoD. The post (or effectively the same post) has at various times had the titles Assistant Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (ASD(R&E)), or Director of Defense Research and Engineering (DDR&E). The latter