What role does the Defense Intelligence Agency play for the U.S. secretary of defense and the Joint Chiefs of Staff?

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military intelligence U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency headquarters, Washington, D.C.

The Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) serves as the primary organization for gathering and producing military intelligence within the United States Department of Defense. Established in 1961, its core mission is to act as the central intelligence manager for the defense establishment.1

For the U.S. secretary of defense and the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the DIA fulfills several critical roles:

Intelligence Support: The agency is tasked with supporting the specific intelligence requirements of the secretary of defense, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, policy makers, and force planners.1
Advisory Function: The director of the DIA serves as the principal adviser to both the secretary of defense and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff regarding matters related to military intelligence.1
Integration: The agency was created to consolidate and coordinate military intelligence efforts that were previously scattered across individual military departments, thereby reducing duplication and increasing operational efficiency.1