# Assistant Secretary of Defense for Homeland Defense and Hemispheric Affairs

The Assistant Secretary of Defense for Homeland Defense and Hemispheric Affairs, or ASD (HD&HA), is responsible for defense continuity and mission assurance; homeland defense and defense support of civil authorities; Arctic and global resilience; and U.S. defense and security policy for Canada, Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean, and South America.
The position was established by the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2003 (P.L. 107-314, passed 2 December 2002). In particular, the ASD (HD&HA) is responsible for homeland preparedness, oversight of the two combatant commands that cover North and South America, and the transfer of technologies to homeland security use, pursuant to Section 1401 of the 2003 DOD Authorization Act. The ASD (HD&HA) reports to the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy.

## Precedent

At the end of the Eisenhower administration, a wide-ranging federal reorganization (Reorganization Plan No. 1 of 1958) transferred to the president the civil defense responsibilities and authorities formerly assigned to the Federal Civil Defense Administration. In Executive Order 10952 (signed 20 July 1961), the president delegated these functions to the Secretary of Defense. The SecDef then created the post of Assistant Secretary of Defense (Civil Defense) on August 31, 1961, to help manage these responsibilities. Only one man, Steuart L. Pittman, ever held this post. His term in office ran September 20, 1961 - April 1, 1964, at which time the post was abolished.
The Office of Civil Defense then transitioned to the Secretary of the Army, but responsibility for civil defense was quickly assigned to the new Defense Civil Preparedness Agency (DCPA). After a Carter administration reorganization (Reorganization Plan No. 3 of 19 June 1978) led to the dissolution of DCPA in July 1979, the director of the new Federal Emergency Management Agency assumed responsibility for civil defense. Nevertheless, DoD continued to maintain and develop resources for civil defense, but with dispersed, overlapping, and informal authorities for growing and coordinating them. The ASD (HD&HA) now provides a single point of contact at DoD for FEMA, state and local disaster management agencies, and executive policymakers in the event that these resources need to be enhanced or mobilized.

## Structure

The ASD (HD&HA) is supported by four Deputy Assistant Secretaries (DASDs), each with coverage of a different mission area:
* Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Arctic and Global Resilience
* Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Defense Continuity and Mission Assurance (DC&MA)
* Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Homeland Defense Integration & Defense Support of Civil Authorities
* Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Western Hemisphere Affairs
DASDs are appointed by the Secretary of Defense. Some are appointed from civilian life, while others are career defense officials. Once at the DASD level, the latter are considered a part of the DoD Senior Executive Service.
The ASD (HD&HA) is also supported by a Principal Deputy, or PDASD, who helps manage the day-to-day operations.

## Office holders

The table below includes both the various titles of this post over time, as well as all the holders of those offices.
| No. | Assistant Secretary | Assistant Secretary | Term | Term | Term | SecDef(s) Served Under | President(s) Served Under | Ref(s) |
| No. | Portrait | Name | Took office | Left office | Term length | SecDef(s) Served Under | President(s) Served Under | Ref(s) |
| Assistant Secretaries of Defense for Homeland Defense |||||||||
| 1 | | Paul McHale (born 1950) | February 7, 2003 | January 20, 2009 | 5 years, 348 days | Donald H. Rumsfeld Robert M. Gates | George W. Bush | |
| Assistant Secretaries of Defense for Homeland Defense and Americas' Security Affairs |||||||||
| 2 | | Paul N. Stockton (born 1954) | June 1, 2009 | January 22, 2013 | 3 years, 235 days | Robert M. Gates Leon Panetta | Barack Obama | |
| – | | Todd M. Rosenblum Acting | January 22, 2013 | September 23, 2014 | 1 year, 244 days | Leon Panetta Chuck Hagel | Barack Obama | |
| Assistant Secretary of Defense for Homeland Defense and Global Security |||||||||
| 3 | | Eric Rosenbach | September 23, 2014 | July 6, 2015 | 286 days | Chuck Hagel Ash Carter | Barack Obama | |
| – | | Thomas F. Atkin Acting | August 1, 2015 | January 20, 2017 | 1 year, 172 days | Ash Carter | Barack Obama | |
| – | | Peter F. Verga Acting | January 20, 2017 | June 21, 2017 | 152 days | James Mattis | Donald Trump | |
| 4 | | Kenneth Rapuano | June 21, 2017 | January 20, 2021 | 3 years, 213 days | James Mattis Mark Esper | Donald Trump | |
| – | | Robert G. Salesses Acting | January 20, 2021 | April 29, 2021 | 99 days | Lloyd Austin | Joe Biden | |
| – | | Jennifer C. Walsh Acting | April 29, 2021 | March 4, 2022 | 309 days | Lloyd Austin | Joe Biden | |
| Assistant Secretary of Defense for Homeland Defense and Hemispheric Affairs |||||||||
| 5 | | Melissa Dalton | March 4, 2022 | May 29, 2024 | 2 years, 86 days | Lloyd Austin | Joe Biden | |
| – | | Rebecca Zimmerman Acting | May 29, 2024 | January 20, 2025 | 236 days | Lloyd Austin | Joe Biden | |
| – | | Rafael Leonardo Acting | January 20, 2025 | Incumbent | 23 days | Pete Hegseth | Donald Trump | |