Department of Defense
DIRECTIVE
NUMBER 3000.03E
April 25, 2013
USD(AT&L)
SUBJECT: DoD Executive Agent for Non-Lethal Weapons (NLW), and NLW Policy
References: See Enclosure 1
1. PURPOSE. This directive:
a. Reissues DoD Directive (DoDD) 3000.3 (Reference (a)) to update the authority,
established policy, and assigned responsibilities for the management of the DoD NLW program.
b. Continues the designation of the Commandant of the Marine Corps (CMC) as the DoD
Executive Agent (EA) for NLW in accordance with DoDD 5101.1 (Reference (b)).
2. APPLICABILITY. This directive:
a. Applies to:
(1) OSD, the Military Departments, the Office of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of
Staff (CJCS) and the Joint Staff, the Combatant Commands, the Office of the Inspector General
of the Department of Defense (IG DoD), the Defense Agencies, the DoD Field Activities, and all
other organizational entities within the DoD (referred to collectively in this directive as the “DoD
Components”).
(2) All NLW science and technology, development, test and evaluation, assessment of
military utility, acquisition programs, operations and sustainment, and the employment of fielded
NLW.
(3) NLW that are explicitly designed and primarily employed to incapacitate personnel
or materiel immediately, while minimizing fatalities, permanent injury to personnel, and
undesired damage to property, facilities, materiel, and the environment.
b. Does not apply to:
(1) Information operations, cyber operations, or any other military capability not
explicitly designed and primarily employed to incapacitate personnel or materiel immediately,
