United States Department of Defense United States Department of Defense The Department of Defense (DoD, USDOD, or DOD) is an executive branch department of the federal government charged with coordinating and supervising all agencies and functions of the government concerned directly with national security and the United States Armed Forces. The department is the largest employer in the world, with nearly 1.3 million active duty servicemen and women as of 2016. Adding to its employees are over 826,000 National Guardsmen and Reservists from the four services, and over 742,000 civilians bringing the total to over 2.8 million employees. Headquartered at the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia,
Construction of the Virginia approaches to Arlington Memorial Bridge Lee Boulevard.) was then under construction in a west-northwesterly direction from Falls Church, Virginia. At the time, its exact western terminus had not yet been decided, although many expected it to link with Francis Scott Key Bridge. The Virginia State Highway Commission, which was providing some of the money for Lee Highway, agreed with the NCPC. But Arlington County, which was building the highway, remained silent on the issue. Arlington County and Virginia officials were quiet about their preferences for the approaches in 1926 and 1927. The NCPC had the authority in the D.C. metropolitan area not only to approve