Editing Defense Science Board (section)

==Charter==

The Board's [[charter]] states its mission as:

<blockquote>The Board shall provide the [[United States Secretary of Defense|Secretary of Defense]], the [[Deputy Secretary of Defense]], the [[Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics]], the [[Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff]] and, as requested, other Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) Principal Staff Assistants, the Secretaries of the Military Departments, the Commanders of the Combatant Commands, independent advice and recommendations on [[scientific]], [[Technology|technical]], [[manufacturing]], [[takeover|acquisition]] process, and other matters of special interest to the [[United States Department of Defense|Department of Defense]]. The Board is not established to advise on individual DoD procurements, but instead shall be concerned with the pressing and complex [[technology]] problems facing the Department of Defense in such areas as [[research]], [[engineering]], and [[manufacturing]], and will ensure the identification of new technologies and new applications of technology in those areas to strengthen [[national security]]. No matter shall be assigned to the Board for its consideration that would require any Board Member to participate personally and substantially in the conduct of any specific procurement or place him or her in the position of acting as a "procurement officials," as that term is defined pursuant to law. The Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics or designated representative shall be authorized to act upon the advice and recommendations of the Board.<ref>[http://www.acq.osd.mil/dsb/charter.htm DSB Charter Statement]</ref></blockquote>

The DSB conducts multiple simultaneous studies each year. Study topics are selected from requests made by the Department of Defense or [[112th United States Congress#Leadership|Congressional leaders]]. In addition to studies that can start and stop at any time during the calendar year, the DSB usually conducts one or more "summer studies" each year; the term "summer study" refers to the fact that the panels meet as a large group in August each year (usually in Irvine, California) to work on these particular studies. Given that these meeting dates are well-established, it is normal for senior DoD personnel interested in the particular study topics for that year to come to the last day of the meeting and be briefed in person on the study findings to date. All DSB studies result in a written report, many of which are released to the public.<ref>[http://www.acq.osd.mil/dsb/reports.htm DSB reports web page]</ref>

Current study topics are also mostly listed on the DSB web page.<ref>[http://www.acq.osd.mil/dsb/taskforces.htm DSB current task forces web page]</ref>