The Director of the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency is a three-star general or admiral who, upon nomination by the President and confirmation by the Senate, serves as the nation's highest ranking military intelligence officer. He is the primary intelligence adviser to the Secretary of Defense and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and also answers to the Director of National Intelligence through the civilian Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence. The Director is also the Commander of the Joint Functional Component Command for Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance, a subordinate command of United States Strategic Command. Additionally, he chairs the Military Intelligence Board, which coordinates activities of the entire defense intelligence community.