Assistant Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs The Assistant Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs , or ASD ( PA ) is the principal staff advisor and assistant to the Secretary of Defense and Deputy Secretary of Defense for public information , internal information , community relations , information training , and audiovisual matters in support of Department of Defense activities , leading a worldwide public affairs community of some 3 , 800 military and civilian personnel . The Assistant Secretary follows the Secretary ' s Principles of Information in providing Defense Department information to the public , the United States Congress and the media . The current ASD ( PA ) is Douglas B . Wilson , who previously served as Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs under former Secretary William S . Cohen . The ASD ( PA ) is the principal but not the sole spokesperson for the Department . In July 2011 , the ASD ( PA ) announced the appointment of two additional spokespersons for the Department . George E . Little , one of two " Deputy Assistant Secretaries of Defense for Public Affairs " , serves concurrently as the " Pentagon Press Secretary " . Navy Captain John Kirby , former spokesman for Admiral Michael Mullen , the former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff , now serves as " Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Media Operations and Spokesman " . Both Little and Kirby serve as spokesmen for the Secretary of Defense and for the Department . Roles and Responsibilities . The ASD ( PA ) manages the following critical functions : community and public outreach , press operations , speechwriting , news analysis , communications planning . The ASD ( PA ) : In addition , the ASD ( PA ) exercises authority , direction , and control over the Defense Media Activity ( DMA ) . DMA provides news and information to our over one million service members stationed at home and around the world via broadcast , radio , web , and periodicals . DMA also trains DoD and other Federal Department public affairs professionals . The ASD ( PA ) is supported by the following divisions : History . This position was originally established as the " Assistant to the Secretary ( Director , Office of Public Information ) " by Secretary James V . Forrestal in July 1948 . After Reorganization Plan No . 6 of 30 June 1953 increased the number of assistant secretaries , Defense Directive 5122 . 1 of September 1953 redesignated the post as " Assistant Secretary of Defense ( Legislative and Public Affairs ) " This position was abolished in February 1957 , and functions were divided between two new posts , the " Assistant Secretary of Defense ( Public Affairs ) " and an " Assistant Secretary of Defense ( Legislative Affairs ) " . ASD ( PA ) was established by Defense Directive 5105 . 13 of 10 August 1957 . In 1993 , the position was changed to " Assistant to the Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs , " by Defense Directive 5122 . 5 . This bureaucratic distinction was dropped after the National Defense Authorization Act for FY1995 ( P . L . 103 - 337 ) increased the number of assistant secretaries from 10 to 11 . Today , the post is titled " Assistant Secretary of Defense ( Public Affairs ) " , referred to as the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs , and abbreviated as ASD ( PA ) . Office Holders . The table below includes both the various titles of this post over time , as well as all the holders of those offices . Budget . Budget Totals . The annual budget for ASD ( PA ) is contained in the OSD ' s budget , under the Defense - Wide Operation and Maintenance ( O & M ) account . The Obama administration is expecting funding to stay relatively constant for this position in FY12 .