[United States Government Manual]
[June 01, 1999]
[Pages 181-184]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



DOD FIELD ACTIVITIES

American Forces Information Service  The American Forces Information 
Service (AFIS) was established in 1977 under the authority, direction, 
and control of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs. 
AFIS provides DOD internal information to U.S. forces worldwide in order 
to promote and sustain military

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unit and individual readiness, quality of life, and morale. AFIS trains 
DOD public affairs, broadcast, and visual information professionals and 
provides communications services to support the informational needs of 
military commanders and combat forces through the entire range of 
military operations and contingencies.
    The Armed Forces Radio and Television Service, the Current News 
``Early Bird'' Service, the Television-Audio Support Activity, the 
Defense Information School, the Defense Visual Information Center, the 
DOD Joint Combat Center, the DOD joint visual information services 
distribution activity, and the worldwide operations of the Stars and 
Stripes newspapers function under the Director of American Forces 
Information Service. AFIS internal directorates and operating activities 
provide news, features, photography, videography, news clippings, and 
other internal command information products and services to DOD. In 
addition, AFIS provides policy guidance and oversight for departmental 
periodicals and pamphlets, military command newspapers, the broadcast 
elements of the military departments, DOD audiovisual matters, and 
public affairs and visual information training.

(American Forces Information Service, Department of Defense, Suite 311, 
601 North Fairfax Street, Alexandria, VA 22314-2007. Phone, 703-428-
1200.)

Department of Defense Education Activity  The Department of Defense 
Education Activity (DODEA) was established in 1992 under the authority, 
direction, and control of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Force 
Management Policy. It consists of two subordinate organizational 
entities: the Department of Defense Dependents Schools (DODDS) and the 
Department of Defense Domestic Dependent Elementary and Secondary 
Schools (DOD DDESS).
    The mission of DODEA is to serve as the principal staff adviser to 
the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Force Management Policy on all 
Defense dependents education matters relative to overseas and stateside 
education activities and programs. DODEA formulates, develops, and 
implements policies, technical guidance, and standards for the effective 
management of Defense dependents education activities and programs. It 
also plans, directs, coordinates, and manages the education programs for 
eligible dependents of U.S. military and civilian personnel stationed 
overseas and stateside; evaluates the programmatic and operational 
policies and procedures for DODDS and DOD DDESS; and provides education 
activity representation at meetings and deliberations of educational 
panels and advisory groups.

(Department of Defense Education Activity, 4040 North Fairfax Drive, 
Arlington, VA 22203-1635. Phone, 703-696-4236.)

Department of Defense Human Resources Activity  The Department of 
Defense Human Resources Activity was formed through the merger of the 
Defense Manpower Data Center with the Civilian Personnel Management 
Service. This field activity falls under the authority, direction, and 
control of the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness. 
The mission of DHRA includes supporting the OUSD (P&R) in planning and 
formulating civilian personnel programs; providing policy support; 
developing and managing DOD civilian personnel information systems and 
civilian personnel administrative services for the Office of the 
Secretary of Defense, the Military Departments, and Defense Agencies; 
collecting and maintaining an archive of automated manpower, personnel, 
training, and financial data bases for DOD to support the information 
requirements of the OUSD (P&R) and other members of the DOD manpower, 
personnel, and training communities; conducting large-scale surveys of 
DOD personnel; developing and managing selection tests used for entry 
into the military; and maintaining data and systems used to determine 
entitlements for DOD benefits such as medical, exchange, and commissary.

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    In addition, the Chancellor for Education and Professional 
Development promotes academic quality and cost-effectiveness of 
educational institutions, professional development programs, and courses 
of instruction for civilians. The Permanent Day Travel/Ready Reserve 
Travel Implementation Office plans and executes changes to existing 
permanent and reserve duty travel policies and processes.

(Department of Defense Human Resources Activity-Headquarters, Suite 200, 
4040 Fairfax Drive, Arlington, VA 22203-1613. Phone, 703-696-1036.)

Defense Prisoner of War/Missing Personnel Office  The Defense Prisoner 
of War/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) was established July 16, 1993, 
under the authority, direction, and control of the Assistant Secretary 
of Defense for International Security Affairs and provides centralized 
management of prisoner of war/missing personnel affairs within the 
Department of Defense. DPMO's responsibilities include leadership and 
policy oversight for all efforts to reach an accounting for Americans 
still unaccounted for as a result of U.S. involvement in past conflicts 
since World War II as well as the recovery and accounting of those 
Americans isolated in harm's way in future conflicts.
    DPMO is the lead proponent for prisoner of war/missing personnel 
matters, including policy and oversight within the Department of Defense 
of the entire process for investigation and recovery related to missing 
persons (which includes matters related to search, rescue, escape, and 
evasion), and the procedures to be followed by Department of Defense 
boards of inquiry relating to missing persons and by officials reviewing 
the reports of such boards. The Office represents the Department of 
Defense in negotiations with officials of foreign governments regarding 
efforts to achieve the fullest possible accounting of missing American 
service members and other designated civilian personnel; assembles and 
maintains data bases on U.S. military and civilian personnel who are or 
were prisoners of war or missing as a result of a hostile action; 
prescribes uniform procedures for determination of the status of missing 
personnel and for systematic, comprehensive, and timely collection, 
analysis, review, dissemination, and periodic update of information 
related to missing personnel; declassifies Department of Defense 
documents for disclosure and release in accordance with section 1082 of 
Public Law 102-190 (50 U.S.C. 435 note), Executive Order 12812, and 
Executive Order 12958; and maintains channels of communication on 
prisoner of war/missing personnel matters between the Department of 
Defense and the Congress, prisoner of war/missing personnel families, 
and the American public through periodic consultations and other 
appropriate measures.
    DPMO coordinates with the interagency community, the Joint Staff, 
services, and unified combatant commands to provide policy, control, and 
oversight over all personnel recovery and accounting matters. The Office 
promulgates policy and oversees implementation of these policies 
throughout the Department. DPMO is also responsible for policy oversight 
of Code of Conduct training throughout the Department of Defense and 
represents the Department on the National Search and Rescue Committee.

(Defense Prisoner of War/Missing Personnel Office, Department of 
Defense, OASD/ISA, The Pentagon, Washington, DC 20301-2400. Phone, 703-
602-2102. Fax, 703-602-1890.)

Office of Economic Adjustment  The Office of Economic Adjustment (OEA) 
is a DOD field activity under the authority, direction, and control of 
the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Technology. OEA is 
responsible for planning and managing the Department's defense economic 
adjustment programs and for assisting Federal, State, and local 
officials in cooperative efforts to alleviate any serious social and 
economic side effects resulting from major departmental realignments or 
other actions.

(Office of Economic Adjustment, Department of Defense, Suite 200, 400 
Army Navy Drive, Arlington, VA 22202-2884. Phone, 703-604-6020.)


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TRICARE Management Activity  The TRICARE Management Activity (TMA) was 
formed on February 10, 1998, from the consolidation of the TRICARE 
Support Office (formerly Civilian Health and Medical Program of the 
Uniformed Services (CHAMPUS) headquarters), the Defense Medical Programs 
Activity, and the integration of health management program functions 
formerly located in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for 
Health Affairs. TMA is a DOD field activity of the Under Secretary of 
Defense for Personnel and Readiness and operates under the authority, 
direction, and control of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health 
Affairs. The mission of TMA is to manage TRICARE; administer and manage 
the Defense Health Program appropriation; provide operational direction 
and support to the Uniformed Services in the management and 
administration of the TRICARE program; and administer CHAMPUS.

(TRICARE Management Activity, Suite 810, Skyline 5, 5111 Leesburg Pike, 
Falls Church, VA 22041-3206. Phone, 703-681-6909. Fax, 703-681-8706.)

Washington Headquarters Services  The Director of Administration and 
Management serves in a dual capacity as the Director of Washington 
Headquarters Services (WHS). The mission of WHS is to administer 
specified DOD-wide operational programs and provide administrative 
support and services to certain DOD activities. Responsibilities include 
financial management and accounting, personnel management, office 
services, security, correspondence, directives and records management, 
facilities management, law enforcement, information and data systems, 
voting assistance program, privacy program, freedom of information, 
mandatory declassification, security and policy review, and other 
administrative support and services, as required.

(Washington Headquarters Services, Department of Defense, Room 3D972, 
The Pentagon, Washington, DC 20301-1155. Phone, 703-695-4436.)