Native American Affairs

Senior Tribal Advisor and Liaison

Position

The Senior Tribal Advisor and Liaison (STAL) position is located within the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense (OUSD), Acquisition and Sustainment (A&S), the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Sustainment. The ASD(S) has overall responsibility for world-wide DoD environmental policy planning and development, oversight of policy implementation, and oversight of environmental compliance. The STAL reports to the Deputy Assistant Secretary (Environment and Energy Resilience).

Responsibilities to the Department of Defense

The Senior Tribal Advisor and Liaison is responsible for advising the Department on matters concerning interactions with Native Americans including federally recognized tribes and Native Hawaiian Organizations. Specific duties include administering the Native American Lands Environmental Mitigation Program (NALEMP), the Native American Management System for Environmental Impacts (NAMSEI), cultural communications and consultation training courses, and conducting Native American outreach activities on behalf of the Office of the Secretary of Defense. The STAL also serves as the Chairperson of the DoD Native American Integrated Product Team, consisting of representatives of DoD Components who meet regularly to coordinate policy and program issues relative to Native Americans.

Responsibilities to Tribal Leaders

The STAL is the key point of contact for American Indians, Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians with concerns regarding potential DoD activities, and coordinates DoD’s response to tribal concerns on policy, pending actions, and other issues of mutual interest.