Assistant Secretary of Defense for Logistics and Materiel Readiness The Assistant Secretary of Defense for Logistics and Materiel Readiness , or ASD ( L & MR ) is the principal staff assistant and adviser to the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition , Technology and Logistics , ( USD ( AT & L ) ) , Deputy Secretary of Defense ( DEPSECDEF ) , and Secretary of Defense ( SECDEF ) on logistics and materiel readiness issues within the Department of Defense ( DoD ) , including programs related to logistics , materiel readiness , maintenance , strategic mobility , and sustainment support . As the principal logistics official within the senior management of the DoD , the ASD ( L & MR ) exercises authority , direction and control over the director of the Defense Logistics Agency . Like all other Assistant Secretaries of Defense , the ASD ( L & MR ) is considered a part of the Office of the Secretary of Defense . The current Assistant Secretary is a hold over from the George W . Bush Administration , Mr . Alan F . Estevez who was sworn into office in 2011 after having served the previous eight years in the position in an acting capacity . History . This position can trace its lineage partially back to the National Security Act of 1947 , which established a Munitions Board to oversee logistics and supply within the nascent Defense Department . Through the Kennedy , Johnson , Nixon and Ford administrations , oversight of logistics and materiel readiness was merged with oversight of installations and properties . In 1977 , the acquisition functions of this office were transferred to the Director of Defense Research and Engineering , and responsibilities for logistics were merged with manpower and reserve affairs throughout the Carter and early Reagan administrations . For a year in the middle of the Reagan administration , responsibilities for logistics and materiel support were split between two ASDs after the creation of a new Assistant Secretary of Defense for Development and Support , established by Defense Directive 5129 . 4 ( signed 25 November 1984 ) . However , this office was abolished after Defense Directive 5128 . 1 ( signed in November 1985 ) merged logistics responsibilities into a single office , the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Logistics . This office was then replaced by the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Production and Logistics in April 1987 , and phased out completely in 1993 after the reorganization of the office of the USD ( AT & L ) . From 1993 until 2000 , there was no principal staff assistant to the USD ( AT & L ) responsible for oversight of logistics and materiel readiness . The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2000 , ( P . L . 106 - 65 , signed 5 October 1999 ) created the new position of Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Logistics and Materiel Readiness , or DUSD ( L & MR ) . The DUSD ( L & MR ) was meant to serve as a second DUSD , after the Principal DUSD , reporting to the USD ( AT & L ) . According to an official DoD history , the intent of Congress in establishing the DUSD ( L & MR ) was to emphasize the importance of these functions . The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010 ( P . L . 111 - 84 , signed 28 October 2009 ) redesignated this position as the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Logistics and Materiel Readiness , or ASD ( L & MR ) , as part of an overall effort to limit the number of DUSD positions to five . However , this post has remained vacant throughout the Obama administration , with Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense ( PDASD ) Alan F . Estevez serving as the highest - ranking official in this office . It is unclear whether the Director of the Defense Logistics Agency is required to report to the USD ( AT & L ) through the PDASD ( L & MR ) in the absence of an ASD ( L & MR ) . Office Holders . The table below includes both the various titles of this post over time , as well as all the holders of those offices .