Department of Defense
DIRECTIVE
NUMBER 8521.01E
January 13, 2016
Incorporating Change 1, August 15, 2017
USD(AT&L)
SUBJECT: DoD Biometrics
References: See Enclosure 1
1. PURPOSE. This directive:
a. Reissues DoD Directive (DoDD) 8521.01E (Reference (a)) to establish policy and assign
responsibilities for DoD biometrics.
b. Designates the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics
(USD(AT&L)) as the Biometrics Principal Staff Assistant (PSA) responsible for oversight of
DoD biometric activities and policy.
c. Designates the Secretary of the Army as the DoD Executive Agent (EA) for Biometrics in
accordance with Public Law 106-246 (Reference (b)) and DoDD 5101.1 (Reference (c)).
2. APPLICABILITY. This directive:
a. Applies to 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, 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”).
b. Does not apply to physical evidence or other biometric material collected either pursuant
to a criminal investigation or as directed by DoD Instruction 5505.14 (Reference (d)).
3. POLICY. It is DoD policy that:
a. The DoD Biometrics Enterprise provide a critical end-to-end capability through a defined
operations or intelligence cycle to support tactical and operational decision-making across the
full range of military operations for DoD warfighting, intelligence, law enforcement, security,
