The official program that summarizes the secretary of defense approved plans and programs for the DOD is called

• A. Operating budget code
• B. Obligation authority
• C. Future years defense program
• D. Operating budget

Answer: (C)

The Future Years Defense Program is the official DoD document that consolidates the secretary of defense approved plans and programs into a multi-year view. It typically covers a five-year horizon and ties together program decisions with projected funding, manpower, and major acquisitions through the Planning, Programming, Budgeting, and Execution process. This single, authoritative resource shows how approved initiatives are funded over time and how they align with priorities, helping senior leaders compare trade-offs and guide resource decisions.

Other options describe execution-focused or administrative aspects rather than the integrated, multi-year view. An operating budget covers funds for current operations in the execution year, obligation authority is the limit on what can be spent, and an operating budget code is simply a coding scheme for accounting. None of these provide the consolidated, forward-looking program perspective that the Future Years Defense Program offers.