Department of Defense
DIRECTIVE
NUMBER 5101.16E
May 27, 2015
Incorporating Change 1, Effective June 12, 2015
USD(P&R)
SUBJECT: DoD Executive Agent (EA) for Support to the National Science Foundation (NSF)
Division of Polar Programs (PLR)
References: See Enclosure 1
1. PURPOSE. This directive:
a. Establishes policy and assigns responsibilities for DoD support to NSF PLR and U.S.
Antarctic Program (USAP) operations.
b. Designates the Secretary of the Air Force as the DoD EA for Support to NSF PLR in
accordance with DoD Directive 5101.1 (Reference (a)).
c. Incorporates and cancels DoD Instruction (DoDI) 2000.06 (Reference (b)) and Directive-
type Memorandum-05-005 (Reference (c)).
2. APPLICABILITY. This directive applies to OSD, the Military Departments, the Office of
the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Joint Staff, the Combatant Commands, the
Office of the Inspector General of the Department of Defense, 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”).
3. POLICY. It is DoD policy that:
a. DoD provides support for NSF PLR, as designated in this directive and in accordance with
the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) (Reference (d)) and any successor agreements.
b. DoD Components involved in planning for, conducting, or participating in activities in the
Antarctic area must observe the terms of the Antarctic Treaty (Reference (e)) and the Protocol on
Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty (Reference (f)).
