---
type: Body
title: "Department of Defense"
classification: "executive-department"
chamber: "executive"
code: "EXEC-DEFENSE"
head: "us/executive/defense/secretary"
sources:
  - field: definition
    source: "5 U.S.C. § 101 (Executive departments)"
confidence: official
tags: [body, executive, executive-department]
timestamp: "2026-07-03"
---

# Department of Defense

Executive department, established by 5 U.S.C. § 101. Headed by the [Secretary of Defense](/us/executive/defense/secretary.md).

## Referenced by the U.S. Code

1,718 sections of the U.S. Code reference this department. A sample:

- [1 U.S.C. § 112b](/legal/us/code/title-01/chapter-2/section-112b.md)
- [2 U.S.C. § 1970](/legal/us/code/title-02/chapter-29/section-1970.md)
- [2 U.S.C. § 4726](/legal/us/code/title-02/chapter-47/section-4726.md)
- [2 U.S.C. § 900](/legal/us/code/title-02/chapter-20/section-900.md)
- [2 U.S.C. § 905](/legal/us/code/title-02/chapter-20/section-905.md)
- [5 U.S.C. § 101](/legal/us/code/title-05/chapter-1/section-101.md)
- [5 U.S.C. § 2109](/legal/us/code/title-05/chapter-21/section-2109.md)
- [5 U.S.C. § 303](/legal/us/code/title-05/chapter-3/section-303.md)
- [5 U.S.C. § 305](/legal/us/code/title-05/chapter-3/section-305.md)
- [5 U.S.C. § 3115](/legal/us/code/title-05/chapter-31/section-3115.md)
- [5 U.S.C. § 3116](/legal/us/code/title-05/chapter-31/section-3116.md)
- [5 U.S.C. § 3132](/legal/us/code/title-05/chapter-31/section-3132.md)
- [5 U.S.C. § 3133](/legal/us/code/title-05/chapter-31/section-3133.md)
- [5 U.S.C. § 3301](/legal/us/code/title-05/chapter-33/section-3301.md)
- [5 U.S.C. § 3304](/legal/us/code/title-05/chapter-33/section-3304.md)
- [5 U.S.C. § 3307](/legal/us/code/title-05/chapter-33/section-3307.md)
- [5 U.S.C. § 3326](/legal/us/code/title-05/chapter-33/section-3326.md)
- [5 U.S.C. § 3327](/legal/us/code/title-05/chapter-33/section-3327.md)
- [5 U.S.C. § 3329](/legal/us/code/title-05/chapter-33/section-3329.md)
- [5 U.S.C. § 3330d](/legal/us/code/title-05/chapter-33/section-3330d.md)
- [5 U.S.C. § 3330g](/legal/us/code/title-05/chapter-33/section-3330g.md)
- [5 U.S.C. § 3341](/legal/us/code/title-05/chapter-33/section-3341.md)
- [5 U.S.C. § 3361](/legal/us/code/title-05/chapter-33/section-3361.md)
- [5 U.S.C. § 3401](/legal/us/code/title-05/chapter-34/section-3401.md)
- [5 U.S.C. § 3502](/legal/us/code/title-05/chapter-35/section-3502.md)
- …and 1,693 more (full set in data/section_authority_edges.jsonl)