Department of Defense

DIRECTIVE

NUMBER 5025.1

July 27, 2000

Administrative Reissuance Incorporating Change 1, September
11, 2000

DA&M

SUBJECT:  DoD Directives System 

References:  (a)  DoD Directive 5025.1, subject as above,
June 24, 1994 (hereby canceled)

(b)  DoD Directive 5400.9 "Publication of Proposed and
Adopted Regulations Affecting the Public," December
23, 1974 (hereby canceled)

(c)  DoD 5025.1-M, "DoD Directives System Procedures,"
current edition

(d)  DoD 5025.1-I "DoD Directives System Annual Index,"
current edition

(e)  through (g), see enclosure 1

1.  REISSUANCE AND PURPOSE 

This Directive:

1.1.  Reissues reference (a) to update policy and responsibilities
governing DoD Directives, DoD Instructions, and DoD
Publications (hereafter referred to collectively as
"DoD issuances").

1.2.  Cancels reference (b).

1.3.  Continues to authorize the publication of references
(c), (d), and (e).

2.  APPLICABILITY 

This Directive applies to the Office of the Secretary
of Defense, the Military Departments, the Chairman of
the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Combatant Commands, the

Inspector General of the Department of Defense, the
Defense Agencies, the DoD Field Activities, and all
other organizational entities within the Department
of Defense (hereafter referred to collectively as "the
DoD Components").

3.  DEFINITIONS 

3.1.  Defense Agencies and DoD Field Activities.   Organizations
specifically designated as Defense Agencies or DoD Field
Activities under Section 191 of title 10 U.S.C (reference
(f)).

3.2.  Directive-type Memorandum.   A memorandum issued
by the Secretary or Deputy Secretary of Defense or OSD
Principal Staff Assistants (PSAs) that, because of time
constraints, cannot be published in the DoD Directives
System at the time of signature.   A DoD issuance will
be issued within 180 days of signature of the memorandum.

3.3.  OSD Principal Staff Assistants (PSA).   OSD officials
holding Presidential appointments, Assistants to the
Secretary of Defense and OSD Directors or equivalents
who report directly to the Secretary or Deputy Secretary
of Defense.

3.4.  Other Organizational Entities within the Department
of Defense.   Organizations established pursuant to
the Secretary’s authority under Sections 113 or 125
of reference (f), but excluding those designated under
Section 191 of reference (d).   These organizations
include but are not limited to the Uniformed Services
University of the Health Sciences and the National Reconnaissance
Office.

3.5.  Organizational Charter.   A DoD Directive that
establishes the responsibilities, functions, relationships,
and delegated authorities, as applicable, of an OSD
PSA, Defense Agency, DoD Field Activity, or other organizational
entity in the Department of Defense.

4.  POLICY 

It is DoD policy that:

4.1.  A single, streamlined, uniform system governing
the preparation, coordination, approval, publication,
dissemination, implementation, and internal review of
DoD issuances will be maintained within the Department
of Defense, in

accordance with DoD 5025.1-M (reference (c)).   DoD
issuances under the DoD Directives System includes the
following:

4.1.1.  DoD Directives that provide policy required
or authorized by legislation, the President, or the
Secretary of Defense to initiate, govern, or regulate
actions or conduct by the DoD Components.   Specifically,
DoD Directives establish or describe policy, programs
and major activities, and organizations; define missions;
delegate authority; and assign responsibilities.   A
DoD Directive shall be approved and signed by the Secretary
or Deputy Secretary of Defense.

4.1.2.  DoD Instructions that implement policy, or prescribe
a uniform method or delineate a specific plan of action
for carrying out the policy, or provide directions or
details for operating a program or activity; and assign
responsibilities.   A DoD Instruction implements a DoD
Directive and shall be approved and signed by a PSA.
  A PSA may assign program responsibilities to another
PSA or the Head of a DoD Component in a DoD Instruction
when the authority to do so has been delegated by a
DoD Directive.

4.1.3.  DoD Publications (Regulations, Manuals, and
DoD issuances that are not DoD Directives or DoD Instructions)
that implement or supplement DoD Directives and DoD
Instructions by providing uniform procedures for management
or operational systems and disseminating administrative
information.   A DoD Publication must be authorized
by a DoD Directive or DoD Instruction and its foreword
approved and signed by a PSA.

4.2.  DoD Directives shall adhere to the principle of
centralized policy-making with decentralized execution
by the DoD Components.   As such, OSD shall focus primarily
on providing policy guidance, fixing responsibility,
and establishing appropriate mechanisms for feedback
and oversight.   The DoD Components should be provided
the latitude to determine how a given policy is to be
implemented at the local level.   DoD Directives should
be streamlined into eight pages or fewer, with no procedures.

4.3.  DoD Directives shall be written in such a way
to preclude requirements for the publication of implementing
documents by the DoD Components.   When it is necessary
to establish specific parameters for action or to prescribe
procedures to ensure that the guidance being promulgated
is fully understood and carried out, a DoD Instruction
or DoD Publication should be issued rather than requiring
the DoD Components to issue separate implementing documents.
  When implementing documents are not required, or when
the deadline for issuing implementing documents

has not been met, the DoD issuance shall be directly
applicable to all elements within the DoD Component,
and the Head of the DoD Component.   The Head of the
DoD Component shall be responsible for carrying out
the DoD guidance.

4.4.  Coordination 

4.4.1.  Mandatory Coordination.   All DoD issuances
must be coordinated with the General Counsel, DoD, the
Inspector General, DoD, and the Director of Administration
and Management.

4.4.2.  Proposed DoD issuances, including changes, reissuances,
and cancellations of these documents, shall be formally
coordinated to solicit the views of the Heads of DoD
Components as follows:

4.4.2.1.  If an Assistant Secretary of Defense (ASD)
is under the authority, direction, and control of an
Under Secretary of Defense (USD), the USD may solicit
comments from the ASD and include such comments in the
USD coordination.

4.4.2.2.  In the Military Departments, coordination
shall be at the level of Secretary, Under Secretary,
or Assistant Secretary.

4.4.3.  Proposed DoD Instructions and DoD Publications,
including changes, reissuances, and cancellations of
these document, shall be formally coordinated to solicit
the views of the Heads of DoD Components.

4.4.4.  Unresolved issues in proposed Directives shall
be brought to the attention of the Secretary or Deputy
Secretary of Defense.   Unresolved issues in proposed
Instructions and Publications shall be brought to the
attention of the cognizant PSA.

4.5.  DoD issuances of general applicability that affect
the public shall be published in the Federal Register
in accordance with guidance issued by the Director of
Administration and Management (reference (e)).

5.  RESPONSIBILITIES 

5.1.  The Director of Administration and Management,
Office of the Secretary of Defense, shall:

5.1.1.  Serve as the DoD Regulatory Policy Officer.

5.1.2.  Review, coordinate, and approve DoD issuances
as rules for publishing in the Federal Register.

5.1.3.  Review and coordinate on all DoD issuances.

5.1.4.  Prepare organizational charters for all OSD
PSAs, Defense Agencies, and DoD Field Activities, and
other organizational entities within the Department
of Defense.

5.1.5.  Monitor compliance with section 4., above.

5.2.  The Director, Washington Headquarters Service,
in accordance with DoD Directive 5110.4 (reference (g))
shall:

5.2.1.  Administer and operate the DoD Directives System.

5.2.2.  Provide operational support and administrative
services to specified DoD Components and non-DoD activities.

5.2.3.  Place approved DoD issuances on the Internet.

5.2.4.  Approve Administrative Instructions.

5.3.  The OSD Principal Staff Assistants shall:

5.3.1.  Prepare DoD issuances that are relevant and
necessary to accomplish their assigned responsibilities,
in accordance with DoD 5025.1-M (reference (b)).

5.3.2.  Prepare, coordinate, and approve DoD Instructions
within their areas of responsibility and, if authorized
by their organizational charters, sign the Instructions.

5.3.3.  Prepare, coordinate, and approve DoD Publications
and sign the foreword.

5.3.4.  Publish DoD issuances of general applicability
that affect the public as rules in the Federal Register
in accordance with reference (e).

5.3.5.  Coordinate proposed DoD issuances with the DoD
Components, as prescribed in paragraph 4.4., above,
and coordinate on proposed DoD issuances originated
by OSD PSAs.

5.3.6.  Six months from the date of the Directive and
at 5-year intervals thereafter, OSD PSAs will also:

5.3.6.1.  Review all DoD issuances under their cognizance
for need and currency.

5.3.6.2.  Certify by memorandum to DA&M, OSD, whether
the issuances will be continued, revised, or canceled.
  Include in the memorandum the need and currency of
the issuance in accordance with reference (c).

5.3.6.3.  Issue directive-type memorandums and cancel
or convert them to DoD issuances, in accordance with
paragraph 3.2., above.

5.4.  The Heads of the DoD Components shall:

5.4.1.  Review and coordinate on proposed DoD issuances
relevant to their missions.

5.4.2.  Issue implementing documents, when required
by the OSD PSAs or considered necessary, consistent
with the intent of the DoD issuances.

5.4.3.  Provide copies to the appropriate OSD PSAs,
in accordance with DoD 5025.1-M (reference (c)).

6.  EFFECTIVE DATE 

This Directive is effective immediately.

Enclosures - 1 

E1.  References, continued

E1.  ENCLOSURE 1

REFERENCES, continued

(e)  Administrative Instruction No. 102, "Office of
the Secretary of (OSD) Federal Register (FR) System,"
August 6, 1999

(f)  Title 10, United States Code

(g)  DoD Directive 5110.4, "Washington Headquarters
Services," May 10, 1999