Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness The Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness , or USD ( P & R ) , is a high - ranking civilian position in the Office of the Secretary of Defense ( OSD ) within the United States Department of Defense responsible for advising the Secretary and Deputy Secretary of Defense on recruitment , career development , pay and benefits , and oversight of the state of military readiness . The Under Secretary is appointed from civilian life by the President and confirmed by the Senate to serve at the pleasure of the President . The current Acting Under Secretary is Jessica L . Wright . Overview . The Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness ( OUSD ( P & R ) ) is the principal staff element for the Department of Defense for all human resources , human capital development , and personnel logistics matters . The USD ( P & R ) has oversight of the Defense Commissary Agency , Department of Defense Education Activity , Defense Human Resources Activity , the Military Health System , and the Defense Travel Management Office . The USD ( P & R ) is also responsible for training , health affairs , National Guard and Reserve affairs , personnel requirements for weapons support , and military and civilian family matters , subject to the authority of the Secretary of Defense . Through the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Military Personnel Policy , the United States Military Entrance Processing Command also reports to the Under Secretary . With the rank of " Under Secretary " , the USD ( P & R ) is a Level III position within the Executive Schedule . Since January 2010 , the annual rate of pay for Level III is $ 165 , 300 . History . The position was first mandated by the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1994 ( P . L . 103 - 160 ) , signed by President Clinton on November 30 , 1993 . Defense Directive 5124 . 2 , passed 17 March 1994 , officially established the position , incorporating the functions of the Assistant Secretary of Defense ( Force Management and Personnel ) and authorizing authority over the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Reserve Affairs and the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs . Since the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2000 was signed on October 5 , 1999 , the Under Secretary has been responsible for establishing standards on deployment of units away from assigned duty stations , the length of time they may be away for a deployment away from assigned duty stations , and for establishing systems for reporting tracking deployments . When created in 1993 , the USD ( P & R ) assumed authority primarily over three DoD offices : the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs , Assistant Secretary of Defense for Reserve Affairs , and Assistant Secretary of Defense for Force Management Policy . The ASD ( FMP ) has since been abolished , its responsibilities assumed by other officials reporting to the USD ( P & R ) . Reporting Officials . Officials reporting to the USD ( P & R ) include : Budget . Budget Totals . The annual budget for the USD ( P & R ) is contained in the Office of the Secretary of Defense ' s ( OSD ) budget , under the Defense - Wide Operation and Maintenance ( O & M ) account . Principal Deputy . The Principal Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness ( PDUSD ( P & R ) ) is the Under Secretary ' s chief staff assistant . PDUSD ( P & R ) is delegated full power and authority to act for the USD ( P & R ) and exercise the powers of the USD ( P & R ) on any and all matters that the USD ( P & R ) is authorized to act , except in those areas where delegation of the USD ( P & R ) authority is otherwise restricted by higher authority or prohibited by law . Established as the " Deputy Under Secretary of Defense ( Personnel and Readiness ) " by the " National Defense Authorization Act for FY 2002 ( P . L . 107 - 107 ) " , the post took over the duties of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Force Management Policy , which was then abolished . The DUSD ( P & R ) was re - designated " Principal Deputy Under Secretary of Defense ( Personnel and Readiness ) " , or PDUSD ( P & R ) in July 2003 by DoD Directive 5124 . 8 . As of 2012 , the position again holds the rank of Principal Deputy Under Secretary .