Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs The Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs ( or ASD ( HA ) ) is chartered under United States Department of Defense Directive ( DoDD ) 5136 . 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 . History . 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 . Responsibilities . 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 . MHS comprises over 133 , 000 military and civilian doctors , nurses , medical educators , researchers , health care providers , allied health professionals , and health administration personnel worldwide , providing our nation with an unequalled integrated healthcare delivery , expeditionary medical , educational , and research capability . 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 Division of FHP & R , while FHP & R provides administrative oversight and resources . Current leadership . Dr . Jonathan Woodson is the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs and Director , TRICARE Management Activity . In this role , he administers the more than $ 50 billion Military Health System ( MHS ) budget and serves as principal advisor to the Secretary of Defense for health issues . The MHS comprises over 133 , 000 military and civilian doctors , nurses , medical educators , researchers , healthcare providers , allied health professionals , and health administration personnel worldwide , providing our nation with an unequalled integrated healthcare delivery , expeditionary medical , educational , and research capability . Dr . Woodson ensures the effective execution of the Department of Defense ( DoD ) medical mission . He oversees the development of medical policies , analyses , and recommendations to the Secretary of Defense and the Undersecretary for Personnel and Readiness , and issues guidance to DoD components on medical matters . He also serves as the principal advisor to the Undersecretary for Personnel and Readiness on matters of chemical , biological , radiological , and nuclear ( CBRN ) medical defense programs and deployment matters pertaining to force health . Dr . Woodson co - chairs the Armed Services Biomedical Research Evaluation and Management Committee , which facilitates oversight of DoD biomedical research . In addition , Dr . Woodson exercises authority , direction , and control over the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences ( USUHS ) ; the Armed Forces Radiobiology Research Institute ( AFRRI ) ; the Defense Center of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury ( DCoE ) ; the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology ; and the Armed Services Blood Program Office . As Director , TRICARE Management Activity , Dr . Woodson is responsible for managing all TRICARE health and medical resources , and supervising and administering TRICARE medical and dental programs , which serve more than 9 . 6 million beneficiaries . Dr . Woodson also oversees the TRICARE budget ; information technology systems ; contracting process ; and directs TRICARE Regional Offices ( TRO ) . In addition , he manages the Defense Health Program ( DHP ) and the DoD Unified Medical Program as TRICARE director . Prior to his appointment by President Barack Obama , Dr . Woodson served as Associate Dean for Diversity and Multicultural Affairs and Professor of Surgery at the Boston University School of Medicine ( BUSM ) , and senior attending vascular surgeon at Boston Medical Center ( BMC ) . Dr . Woodson holds the rank of brigadier general in the U . S . Army Reserve , and served as Assistant Surgeon General for Reserve Affairs , Force Structure and Mobilization in the Office of the Surgeon General , and as Deputy Commander of the Army Reserve Medical Command . Dr . Woodson is a graduate of the City College of New York and the New York University School of Medicine . He received his postgraduate medical education at the Massachusetts General Hospital , Harvard Medical School and completed residency training in internal medicine , and general and vascular surgery . He is board certified in internal medicine , general surgery , vascular surgery and critical care surgery . He also holds a Master ' s Degree in Strategic Studies ( concentration in strategic leadership ) from the U . S . Army War College . In 1992 , he was awarded a research fellowship at the Association of American Medical Colleges Health Services Research Institute . He has authored / coauthored a number of publications and book chapters on vascular trauma and outcomes in vascular limb salvage surgery . His prior military assignments include deployments to Saudi Arabia ( Operation Desert Storm ) , Kosovo , Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom . He has also served as a Senior Medical Officer with the National Disaster Management System , where he responded to the September 11th attack in New York City . Dr . Woodson ' s military awards and decorations include the Legion of Merit , the Bronze Star Medal , and the Meritorious Service Medal ( with oak leaf cluster ) . In 2007 , he was named one of the top Vascular Surgeons in Boston and in 2008 was listed as one of the Top Surgeons in the U . S . He is the recipient of the 2009 Gold Humanism in Medicine Award from the Association of American Medical Colleges . Recent leadership . George Peach Taylor , Jr . , M . D . , MPH , recently performed the duties of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs ; and as Acting Director , TRICARE Management Activity . Dr . Taylor also currently serves as the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Force Health Protection and Readiness . In that capacity , he directs Department - wide efforts to develop and implement policies and programs relating to DoD deployment medicine , force health protection , national disaster support , international health agreements and missions , and medical readiness for 2 . 3 million Service members . Previously , Charles L . Rice , M . D . , performed the duties of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs , was the Acting Director , TRICARE Management Activity , and President of the USUHS . Before assuming his role at USUHS , Dr . Rice , a Navy - trained surgeon and researcher , served as the vice chancellor for health affairs at the University of Illinois , Chicago , from 1999 - 2004 . Prior to that , he was vice dean of the UIC College of Medicine , as well as a professor of surgery and professor of physiology and biophysics . Originally from Atlanta , Ga . , Dr . Rice graduated with an A . B . from the University of Georgia in 1964 and earned his medical degree from the Medical College of Georgia in 1968 . He interned at Bowman Gray School of Medicine at Wake Forest University , Winston - Salem , N . C . He completed his general surgery residency at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda , Md . , followed by a research fellowship at the Naval Medical Research Institute in Bethesda . Dr . Rice ' s full biography can be found at . The previous ASD ( HA ) was Dr . S . Ward Casscells . Dr . Casscells ' term expired on 28 April 2009 . The Obama Administration asked him to remain after the transition , but he has chosen to leave to be with family and continue his medical career . His interim replacement is Acting ASD ( HA ) Ellen Embrey , a merit Senior Executive Service employee ( not political ) , who is permanent Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Force Health Protection and Readiness , a 3 - star equivalent position . Embrey has a reputation for both breadth and depth of knowledge in defense matters , strong ethical standards , and an ability to form partnerships working for common goals . Ms . Embrey has since stepped down from serving as the interim ASD ( HA ) . Past Assistant Secretaries . The table below includes both the various titles of this post over time , as well as all the holders of those offices . Persons marked with a * are interim officials described in military documents as " Performing the Duties of the ASD / HA , " rather than as " Acting "