Assistant Secretary of Defense for Networks and Information Integration The Assistant Secretary of Defense for Networks & Information Integration ( abbreviated ASD ( NII ) ) provides management and oversight of all DoD information technology , including national security systems . The ASD ( NII ) also serves as the Chief Information Officer ( CIO ) of the United States Department of Defense ( DoD ) , a position distinct from the ASD and governed by the Clinger - Cohen Act . The ASD ( NII ) / DoD CIO is the principal staff assistant and advisor to the Secretary of Defense and Deputy Secretary of Defense on networks and network - centric policies and concepts ; command , control and communications ( C3 ) ; non - intelligence space matters ; enterprise - wide integration of DoD information matters ; Information Technology ( IT ) , including National Security Systems ( NSS ) ; information resources management ( IRM ) ; spectrum management ; network operations ; information systems ; information assurance ( IA ) ; positioning , navigation , and timing ( PNT ) policy , including airspace and military - air - traffic control activities ; sensitive information integration ; contingency support and migration planning ; and related matters . The ASD ( NII ) / DoD CIO had responsibilities for integrating information and related activities and services across the Department of Defense . The ASD ( NII ) / DoD CIO also serves as the DoD Enterprise - level strategist and business adviser from the information , IT , and IRM perspective ; Information and IT architect for the DoD enterprise ; and , DoD - wide IT and IRM executive . The Director , Defense Information Systems Agency ( DISA ) , reports to the ASD ( NII ) / DoD CIO . In August 2010 , Secretary of Defense Robert Gates announced that the position of ASD ( NII ) would be eliminated . On January 11 , 2012 , the position of ASD ( NII ) was disestablished . History . This office was previously known as the " Assistant Secretary of Defense ( Command , Control , Communications and Intelligence ) " , or ASD ( CI ) , and was redesignated ASD ( NII ) in May 2003 . ASD ( CI ) traces its origins back to the " Assistant to the Secretary of Defense ( Telecommunications ) " , an advisory position established in May 1970 . A single person held this position before it was replaced in January 1972 by the " Assistant Secretary of Defense ( Telecommunications ) " , an office with more weight in the Pentagon bureaucracy . The post was eliminated in January 1974 , with responsibilities transferred to the " Director , Telecommunications and Command and Control Systems under Defense Directive 5135 . 1 " . In March 1977 , a new post , the " Assistant Secretary of Defense ( Command , Control , Communications and Intelligence ) " , was established by Defense Directive 5137 . 1 , replacing both the " Director , Telecommunications and Command and Control Systems " and the " Assistant Secretary of Defense ( Intelligence ) / Director of Defense Intelligence " . ( The ASD ( I ) had been established in November 1971 , with some functions transferred from the " Assistant Secretary of Defense ( Administration ) " . From July 1976 to March 1977 , the ASD ( I ) held the additional designation of " Director of Defense Intelligence " . ) Starting in October 1977 , the ASD ( CI ) also served as " Principal Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering " . In March 1981 , the office was retitled " Deputy Undersecretary of Defense for Communications , Command , Control , and Intelligence " , a position with more bureaucratic weight than that of an assistant secretary . However , the Department of Defense Authorization Act of 1984 ( P . L . 98 - 94 ) , passed in September 1983 , mandated the existence of an ASD ( CI ) . Thus , this post reverted to the title assistant secretary of defense in April 1985 ( following Defense Directive 5137 . 1 ) . The ASD ( CI ) was the principal staff officer to Secretary of Defense in his role as executive for the National Communications System . The ASD ( CI ) also had responsibilities to oversee the activities of DISA , the Defense Intelligence Agency , and the Defense Security Service . Following Pentagon reorganizations in 2003 , the portfolio of ASD ( CI ) was transferred to the ASD ( NII ) , the Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence , the Director of the Defense Intelligence Agency and elsewhere . Elimination . On May 17 , 2010 , Secretary of Defense Robert M . Gates directed an independent panel of corporate executives ( known as the Defense Business Board ) to make recommendations on options to materially reduce DoD overhead and increase efficiency in internal business operations . On July 22 , the Defense Business Board offered a series of proposals on how the Pentagon could cut $ 100 billion from its budget over the next five years . According to Arnold Punaro , the group ' s chair and retired executive at SAIC , " The task group is identifying many of the tough choices that must be made , not only because it is good business management , but today ' s fiscal environment and future warfighting requirements will not tolerate these inefficiencies . " In his remarks , Punaro recommended downsizing the Combatant Commands and all OSD organizations , " particularly the elimination of Networks and Information Integration . " On August 9 , Secretary Gates announced at a press conference that DoD will be eliminating the office of the ASD ( NII ) , and DISA will assume its information technology operational responsibilities . According to Gates , " The Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Networks and Information Integration or NII was set up in 2003 when policy , oversight and advocacy functions for command , control and communications split off from intelligence . The resulting arrangement for dealing with enterprise IT and hardware issues , which includes a similar function for the J - 6 on the Joint Staff , has since become redundant , costly and cumbersome . " At the same time , Gates also announced that DoD would be standing up a " refashioned and strengthened " CIO , a position whose existence is mandated in the Clinger - Cohen Act . Because the position no longer includes the permanent assistant secretary title , Senate confirmation is no longer required . On January 11 , 2012 , the position of ASD ( NII ) was disestablished . Past Assistant Secretaries . The table below includes both the various titles of this post over time , as well as all the holders of those offices .