About WHS

Mission, Vision, Values Overview of WHS WHS Organization WHS Leadership WHS Customers

WHS is the designated support and service provider of human resources, facilities, resource management, contracting, personnel security, research, equal employment opportunity, and executive services for the Office of the Secretary of Defense, the Joint Staff, the Military Departments, other select DoD Components in the National Capital Region and beyond, Congress, and the White House.

Mission, Vision, Values

The foundations of WHS emphasize our commitment to providing leading services and support to our mission partners to enable their defense of the Nation.

Mission: Washington Headquarters Services is the designated service provider for the Office of the Secretary of Defense and select Department of Defense Components. WHS enables mission partners’ success by delivering high-quality, convenient services which align to and support the National Defense Strategy and provide an exceptional customer experience every time.
Vision: We are a trusted, innovative service provider with an empowered workforce that enables our customers to meet or exceed their mission.
Values: We have integrity, we are trustworthy, we are customer-centric, we are innovative, and we are results-oriented.

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Overview of WHS

Established on October 1, 1977, our founding purpose was to help refocus the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) staff on policy analysis and oversight matters by removing unnecessary administrative burdens. WHS was charged with the mission of providing administrative and operational support to specified Department of Defense (DoD) activities in the National Capital Region (NCR). Those support functions included budget and accounting, personnel management, office space and services, security, correspondence and records management, and additional support as required. The resulting organization provided a mechanism for achieving greater efficiencies and economies of scale by consolidating those tasks and missions across the enterprise. Today, through various mandates, the WHS service spectrum has expanded considerably. Nearly 6,000 civilian, military, and contract personnel operate across a broad spectrum of responsibilities to deliver centralized, essential services for the White House, the Congress the Military Departments, Joint Staff, OSD, the Defense Agencies and DoD Field Activities, and other entities on the Pentagon Reservation, the NCR and beyond. As the administrative arm of the OSD and other select serviced organizations, WHS provides a wide range of services, including: facilities management; contracting; executive administrative support; resource management; history, library and research capabilities; human resources; operational continuity for the U.S. government; financial and administrative oversight of the Armed Forces Retirement Home and more. Our purpose remains the same, to be an indispensable contributor to the defense of our Nation and essential mission partner. The WHS vision is to be a trusted service provider with Employees Who Make a Difference.

Photo of Defense Secretary Harold Brown with 2 paragraphs describing WHS.

Graphic titled '1977' with text descriptions of highlights in 1977 and 1984.

Graphic titled '1987' with text descriptions of highlights in 1987, 1989, 1990, and 1991.

Graphic titled '1997' with text descriptions of highlights in 2001, 2002, 2003, and 2006.

Graphic titled '1997' with text descriptions of highlights from 2017-2021.

Hover the mouse pointer over the images to zoom in

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WHS Organization

Directorates

Acquisition Directorate (AD)

The Acquisition Directorate (AD) is the Single Enterprise Contracting Office providing to all Office of the Secretary of Defense, Washington Headquarters Services (WHS), the Pentagon Force Protection Agency (PFPA), and other DoD customers. AD obligates over $2.8 billion annually, procuring knowledge based services, facility support, construction services, information technology, and a range of other services. The AD also supports the award and management of grants, cooperative agreements, other transactions, commercial supplies and services, and the Government Purchase Card Program.

Executive Services Directorate (ESD)

ESD provides comprehensive knowledge management, information security, and visual information services to the Office of the Secretary of Defense and Defense Agencies and Field Activities. ESD also executes legally mandated programs and supports the Pentagon Reservation by providing a wide variety of customer services.

Facilities Services Directorate (FSD)

FSD provides comprehensive lifecycle facilities management supporting the day-to-day working environment of nearly 64,000 employees of the Department in approximately 15 million square feet of facilities across the National Capital Region (NCR).

Financial Management Directorate (FMD)

FMD provides a full range of resource management services, to include manpower, to the WHS customer enterprise.

History and Library Directorate (HLD)

HLD provides a wide range of research services for OSD, DoD components, and other federal entities.

Human Resources Directorate (HRD)

HRD provides comprehensive human resources and personnel security to the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD), Department of Defense (DoD) agencies and field activities, and select government organizations.

Facilities

Armed Forces Retirement Home (AFRH)

AFRH is an independent Federal agency designed to provide residences and healthcare to eligible veterans.

Raven Rock Mountain Complex (RRMC)

RRMC is the nation’s premier secure strategic battle command platform, assuring senior leaders’ ability to execute their mission essential functions.

Offices

WHS Immediate Office (IO)

WHS IO enables effective synchronization, integration, and coordination of WHS activities, enhances process improvements, and focuses on areas of importance to the WHS Director, Deputy Director, and WHS Leadership Council, and improves existing WHS provided services.

Office of General Counsel (OGC)

The OGC provides legal services to the various agencies and directorates within WHS focusing primarily on matters of operational law.

WHS Security Office

The WHS Security Office supports OSD, WHS, and other DoD activities with extensive security and mission assurance support by providing a wide range of security management, training, reporting, and compliance requirements.

Office of Equal Employment Opportunity Programs (EEOP)

The mission of EEOP is to foster an inclusive and respectful workplace environment allowing all personnel to succeed as they support the defense of our nation.

Office of Small Business Programs (OSBP)

The OSBP is dedicated to promoting maximum practicable opportunity to small businesses to participate in WHS acquisition requirements.

Plans and Programs Office (PPO)

The PPO provides professional and proactive support to the mission and programs of the WHS Director & Deputy Director. Through strategic planning and collaborative efforts, PPO provides necessary support for WHS activities, especially with BCTF/Legislative Commissions, major events for DoD and WHS, and with various time sensitive and critical ad hoc actions.

Customer Experience (CX) Office

The WHS CX Office seeks to bring value to the customer by leaning forward with innovative approaches to integrate service delivery using qualitative and quantitative data and practicing human-centered engagements to find solutions.

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