[NavVet]

The DOE doesn’t have to be involved in National Defense. This is really a relic of the cold war and Eisenhower’s Atoms for Peace initiative. I am pretty no other country with nukes has them has their department of energy inovlved. Trust me, there isn’t any DOE reps on an SSBN.

[Magnum44]

DoE is the responsible agency for the production and disposal of nuclear material...it also has labs that do other “high energy” activities of military interest...I agree it also has a large component that is unnecessary, but those national security components should be retained, and in some cases strengthened (if you still believe in nuclear deterrence).