On January 20, 2017, James N. Mattis became the twenty-sixth Secretary of Defense under President Donald J. Trump. James was born in Richland, Washington and began his life of dedicated service to our country at the age of eighteen, when he enlisted in the United States Marine Corps Reserve. He was then assigned the position of Second Lieutenant after graduating from college in 1971. Since then, he has received numerous titles and positions in the United States Navy as well as others in our military. James Mattis is fully prepared to take on the responsibility of a position in the President's Cabinet. Four decades of uniformed service mark his experience in the armed forces. Having commanded all levels of the Marines, he is very accustomed to leading a team. Most of his four decades in uniform were spent on combat missions in Iraq and Afghanistan. Mattis later served as the Davies Family Distinguished Visiting Scholar at Stanford University's Hoover Institution following his 2013 retirement from the Marine Corps. This institution has specialized in the study of all necessary capabilities such as leadership, national security, strategy, innovation and effective use of military force. Now Secretary of the Department of Defense, he directs, with the President of the United States, the planning, advising and implementation of the country's security policies. It also helps direct and control the actions of the Ministry of Defense. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay As one of the largest Cabinet departments, the Ministry of Defense holds immense responsibility and importance. Their headquarters is in the prestigious Pentagon. In order to effectively maintain and maintain the protection and security of our country, the ministry has the difficult task of working efficiently and productively. The Department of Defense ensures that our nation's defense facilities and installations are properly placed, deployed and stationed, and of the appropriate qualities and capabilities to do the best job of protecting our nation. This must be done without stationing too many troops and supplies. U.S. military forces are working to combat and protect people from the urgent threat of terrorism. With personnel all over the world (over 450,000 civilians and military personnel overseas) as well as nationwide, the Department of Defense operates at an enormous level and when all locations across the country are added together, millions of 'acres are used. The size of the Department of Defense is truly incredible. With an overall budget of hundreds of billions of dollars and millions of employees, the Department truly has enormous reach and connection. The DoD is directed and ordered by the U.S. President as well as the Secretary of Defense and the National Security Council. Finally, the Department of Defense trains and equips soldiers from all three branches of the U.S. military: the Army, Navy and Air Force. They also ensure that each branch effectively trains its soldiers and personnel to fight wars, maintain peace, and contribute to disaster tasks. The DOD also contributes to homeland security and defense. In 1789, under President George Washington, Congress created the War Department. The Coast Guard was then created a year later. The Department of the Navy then followed and was created in 1798. “The decision to unify the various services under a single department led to the creation of the National Military establishment in 1947,” according to the,.