The Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs (ASD(HA)) is chartered under United States Department of Defense Directive (DoDD) 5136.1[1] in 1994. This DoDD states that the ASD(HA) is the principal advisor to the U.S. Secretary of Defense on all "DoD health policies, programs and activities." In addition to exercising oversight of all DoD health resources, ASD(HA) serves as director of the Tricare Management Activity.
The ASD(HA) reports to the Undersecretary of Defense (Personnel and Readiness), or USD(P&R). A political appointee responsible for the United States Department of Defense's Military Health System, the ASD(HA) is an Executive Service Level IV official. He or she is nominated by the president of the United States, and confirmed by the United States Senate.
This position was originally established in 1949 as the Chairman, Armed Forces Medical Policy Council. Reorganization Plan No. 6 (1953) abolished the council and transferred its functions to a new position, the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Health Affairs). In August 1953, some functions of this position were transferred to the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Manpower), and the title was changed to Assistant Secretary of Defense (Health and Medical).
The position was abolished completely on January 31, 1961, and for the remainder of the decade, all of its functions were vested in the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Manpower). However, Congress authorized a permanent assistant secretary position for health affairs in November 1969 (P.L. 91-121). The post was then re-established as Assistant Secretary of Defense (Health and Environment) in June 1970 by Defense Directive 5136.1. In January 1976, the position was re-designated Assistant Secretary of Defense (Health Affairs), a title that has endured to the present day.
The ASD(HA) is responsible for a number of organizations which directly affect the health care of service members and their dependents. These responsibilities are executed through several Senior Executive Service managers, including the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense (Health Affairs) and the following Deputy Assistant Secretaries:
Other special activities within Health Affairs' jurisdiction include the TRICARE Management Activity, an extensive network of private physicians and hospitals providing health maintenance to service members. With a $40 billion budget (as of 2005), the Military Health System (MHS) provides care for roughly 9.2 million (as of 2005) people through TRICARE and through more than 70 military hospitals worldwide.[2] MHS comprises over 133,000 military and civilian doctors, nurses, medical educators, researchers, health care providers, allied health professionals, and health administration personnel worldwide.
The ASD (HA) oversees the Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences (USUHS), which educates uniform physicians and other health professionals for the Army, Navy, Air Force and Public Health Service. The ASD(HA) also directly tasks the International Health[3] Division of FHP&R, while FHP&R provides administrative oversight and resources.
The table below includes both the various titles of this post over time, as well as all the holders of those offices.
| Name | Tenure | SecDef(s) Served Under | President(s) Served Under | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chairman, Armed Forces Medical Policy Council | ||||
| July 5, 1949 – September 30, 1949 | Harry Truman | |||
| Dr. Richard L. Meiling | October 1, 1949 - January 2, 1951 | Harry Truman | ||
| July 1, 1951 - March 31, 1952 | Harry Truman | |||
| Dr. Melvin A. Casberg | April 1, 1952 - March 31, 1953 | Harry Truman Dwight Eisenhower | ||
| Assistant to the Secretary of Defense (Health Affairs) | ||||
| Dr. Melvin A. Casberg | April 1, 1953 - August 2, 1953 | Dwight Eisenhower | ||
| Assistant Secretary of Defense (Health and Medical) | ||||
| Dr. Melvin A. Casberg | August 3, 1953 - January 27, 1954 | Dwight Eisenhower | ||
| Dr. Frank B. Berry See also: Berry Plan. | January 28, 1954 - January 31, 1961 | Dwight Eisenhower John Kennedy | ||
| Assistant Secretary of Defense (Health and Environment) | ||||
| Dr. Louis M. Rousselot | July 22, 1970 - July 1, 1971 | Richard Nixon | ||
| Dr. Richard Sloan Wilbur | July 27, 1971 - September 1, 1973 | Richard Nixon | ||
| Dr. James R. Cowan | February 19, 1974 - March 1, 1976 | Richard Nixon Gerald Ford | ||
| Vernon McKenzie (Acting) | March 2, 1976 - March 8, 1976 | Gerald Ford | ||
| Assistant Secretary of Defense (Health Affairs) | ||||
| Dr. Robert N. Smith | August 30, 1976 - January 7, 1978 | Gerald Ford Jimmy Carter | ||
| Vernon McKenzie (Acting) | January 8, 1978 - August 14, 1979 | Jimmy Carter | ||
| Dr. John Moxley III | September 14, 1979 - August 9, 1981 | Jimmy Carter Ronald Reagan | ||
| Dr. John Beary (Acting) | August 10, 1981 - September 24, 1983 | Ronald Reagan | ||
| Vernon McKenzie (Acting) | September 25, 1983 - November 17, 1983 | Ronald Reagan | ||
| November 18, 1983 - April 21, 1989 | Ronald Reagan George H. W. Bush | |||
| March 5, 1990 - January 20, 1993 | George H. W. Bush | |||
| Dr. Edward D. Martin (Acting) | January 20, 1993 - March 23, 1994 | William Clinton | ||
| March 23, 1994 - March 31, 1997 | William Clinton | |||
| Dr. Edward D. Martin (Acting) | April 1, 1997 - February 28, 1998 | William Clinton | ||
| Gary Christopherson (Acting) | March 1, 1998 - May 25, 1998 | William Clinton | ||
| Dr. Sue Bailey | May 26, 1998 - August 10, 2000 | William Clinton | ||
| August 14, 2000 - October 29, 2001 | William Clinton George W. Bush | |||
| October 29, 2001 - April 12, 2007 | George W. Bush | |||
| April 12, 2007 - April 28, 2009 | George W. Bush Barack Obama | |||
| Ellen Embrey (Acting*) | April 29, 2009 - January 31, 2010 | Barack Obama | ||
| Allen W. Middleton (Acting*) | February 1, 2010 - February 28, 2010 | Barack Obama | ||
| Dr. Charles L. Rice (Acting*) | March 1, 2010 - September 6, 2010 | Barack Obama | ||
| Dr. George P. Taylor, Jr. (Acting*) | September 7, 2010 - December 22, 2010 | Barack Obama | ||
| Dr. Jonathan A. Woodson[6] | December 22, 2010 - May 1, 2016[7] | Robert M. Gates Leon Panetta | Barack Obama | |
| Dr. Karen S. Guice (Acting*) | May 2, 2016 - January 20, 2017[8] | Barack Obama | ||
| Dr. David J. Smith (Acting*)[9] | January 20, 2017 - August 23, 2017[10] | Donald Trump | ||
| Thomas P. McCaffery (Acting) | August 23, 2017 - August 5, 2019 | Donald Trump | ||
| Honorable Thomas P. McCaffery | August 5, 2019 - January 20, 2021 | Donald Trump | ||
| Dr. Terry A. Adirim (Acting)[11] | January 20, 2021 – March 1, 2023 | Joe Biden | ||
| March 1, 2023 – present | Joe Biden | |||