By: Vision Continuity
June 25, 2024
Enhancing Defense Mission Resilience
We are excited to announce the release of Department of Defense (DoD) Instruction 3020.26, which marks a significant update to our nation’s defense continuity policy. This 2024 instruction replaces the 2018 directive, reflecting the DoD’s commitment to maintaining and enhancing its preparedness and resilience in an ever-evolving global threat landscape.
Key Highlights of the new DoD Instruction 3020.26 (2024)
The latest issuance brings several crucial updates aimed at strengthening the DoD’s continuity capabilities:
- Emphasis on Federal Mission Resilience Strategy: The new instruction aligns with the Federal Mission Resilience Strategy, as outlined in Executive Order 13961. This strategy focuses on ensuring that federal mission-essential functions (MEFs) can withstand disruptions and continue uninterrupted. The DoD’s policy now prioritizes distributed operations and devolution, minimizing reliance on post-incident relocation of personnel and emphasizing continuous, resilient operations.
- Enhanced Roles and Responsibilities:
- Under Secretary of Defense for Policy (USD(P)): Now serves as the DoD Continuity Coordinator, overseeing comprehensive policy implementation and coordination with national continuity efforts.
- Assistant Secretary of Defense for Homeland Defense and Hemispheric Affairs (ASD(HD&HA)): Takes on a more prominent role, providing joint oversight of continuity-related information communications technology (ICT) requirements and supporting the Federal Mission Resilience Executive Committee.
- New Positions Introduced: The instruction introduces the requirement for each DoD component to designate distinct senior officials, in writing, as Component Continuity Coordinator, Continuity Program Manager, and Reconstitution Program Manager, ensuring dedicated oversight, accountability and continuous improvement of defense continuity programs.
- Integration of Modern Technology: The instruction highlights the importance of robust ICT capabilities, emphasizing the need for secure, integrated communications that support mission-essential functions even under adverse conditions. This approach ensures that critical operations remain resilient against cyber threats and other disruptions.
- Increased Focus on Training and Exercises: Continuous improvement through regular tests, training, and exercises is a cornerstone of the new instruction. This ensures that all personnel are adequately prepared and that continuity plans are rigorously tested and validated.
Comparison: DoD Directive 3020.26 (2018) vs. DoD Instruction 3020.26 (2024)
Here’s a comparative overview of the key changes between the 2018 directive and the new 2024 instruction:
| Category | 2018 Directive | 2024 Instruction |
| Document Type | Directive | Instruction |
| Effective Date | February 14, 2018 | June 4, 2024 |
| Approved by | Patrick M. Shanahan, Deputy Secretary of Defense | Amanda Dory, Acting Under Secretary of Defense for Policy |
| Purpose | Establishes DOD continuity policy and assigns responsibilities for implementation. | Reissues the directive as an instruction, establishes policy, assigns responsibilities, and prescribes procedures. |
| Key Responsibilities | USD(P): Principal advisor for COOP and COG. ASD (HD&GS): Oversight of continuity IT requirements. | USD(P): DoD Continuity Coordinator. ASD (HD&HA): Supports DoD Continuity Coordinator and oversees ICT. |
| Role of Technology | Emphasis on the development and oversight of IT capabilities critical to the performance of MEFs. | Increased focus on ICT requirements, distributed operations, and minimizing essential function disruption. |
| Continuity Planning Elements | Includes COOP, COG, and ECG. | Adds distributed operations and devolution as primary planning elements. |
| Training and Exercises | Annual continuity exercises and reporting requirements. | Enhanced focus on continuous improvement through tests, training, and annual exercises for all components. |
| Reporting Requirements | Continuity readiness status reports submitted annually to the Secretary of Defense. | Detailed reporting on essential functions, readiness, staffing, training, facilities, ICT capabilities, and more. |
| Integration with Other Programs | Coordination with cybersecurity, mission assurance, and emergency management. | Emphasis on Federal Mission Resilience Strategy, national continuity, and homeland security efforts. |
| New Responsibilities | Not specifically detailed. | Introduction of Continuity Coordinator and Continuity Program Manager roles, including reconstitution program management. |
| Policy References | References PPD-40 and other DoD Directives and Instructions. | Adds references to E.O. 13961 and the Federal Mission Resilience Strategy. |
The transition from a directive to an instruction ensures a more detailed, procedural approach to continuity planning, enhancing the DoD’s ability to adapt to and manage various threats and emergencies.
Moving Forward
The updated DoD Instruction 3020.26 represents a proactive step towards a more resilient and prepared national defense capabilities. By incorporating the latest requirements in the federal mission resilience strategy and emphasizing distributed and devolved operations, the DoD is better positioned to maintain its mission-critical functions under any circumstances.
For further details, the full text of the DoD Instruction 3020.26 is available on the DoD Directives Division Website.
Vision Continuity is a SBA-certified Service Disable Veteran Owned Small Business (SDVOSB), headquartered in Chesapeake, VA, offering certified defense continuity expertise and leadership advisory services to government and military clients. With over 15 years of defense continuity program management experience, Vision Continuity helps elevate client continuity programs from compliance-focused to establishing a culture of resilience that translates in to durable readiness. https://visioncontinuity.com