b'MILITARY HEALTH SYSTEMThe Military Health System (MHS) is one of AmericasThe ASD(HA) is a civilian, Senate-confirmed official largest and most complex health care institutions, andwho serves as the chief medical adviser to the Secretary the worlds preeminent military health care deliveryof Defense and oversees health policy and budgeting operation. MHS saves lives on the battlefield, combatsacross the system, as well as directing the activities infectious disease around the world, and is responsibleoftheDefenseHealthAgency.TheASD(HA)is for providing health services through both direct caresupported by the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary and private sector care to approximately 9.6 millionofDefenseforHealthAffairsandthreeDeputy beneficiaries,composedofuniformedservicemem- Assistant Secretaries of Defense.bers, military retirees, and family members.The MHS enables the National Defense Strategy byDEFENSE HEALTH AGENCYproviding a medically ready force, and improving theEstablished in 2013, the Defense Health Agency health of all those entrusted to its care. is a combat support agency that provides a host The missions of the MHS are complex and interrelated: ofsharedhealthservicesacrosstheMHS,from operating the TRICARE health benefit to providing To ensure Americas 1.4 million active dutypharmacyandmedicallogistics,performing and 331,000 reserve-component personnel aremedical research and development and operating healthy so they can complete their national secu- healthinformationtechnologysystems,witha rity missions. goal of providing integrated and efficient service To ensure that all active and reserve medicalto the joint force. personnel in uniform are trained and ready to provide medical care in support of operationalJOINT STAFF SURGEONforces around the world.To provide a medical benefit commensurate withThe Joint Staff Surgeon is the chief medical adviser the service and sacrifice of more than 9.6 milliontotheChairmanoftheJointChiefsofStaff, active-duty personnel, military retirees and theirproviding advice to the Chairman, the Joint Staff, families. and the Combatant Commanders, coordinating allissuesrelatedtoHealthServicestoinclude operationalmedicine,forcehealthprotection, ELEMENTS OF THE MHS and readiness among the Combatant Commands, The MHS is a federated system of uniformed, civilianthe Office of the Secretary of Defense, and the andcontractpersonnelandadditionalcivilianServices.partners at all levels of the Department of Defense and beyondfrom senior officials in the Office ofUNIFORMED SERVICES the Secretary of Defense to doctors and other healthUNIVERSITYcare providers in nearly every community across theOF THE HEALTH SCIENCESnation.The Uniformed Services University of the Health OFFICE OF THE ASSISTANTSciences (USU) is the nations federal health pro-SECRETARY OF DEFENSE fessions academy.USUs curricula and educational OF HEALTH AFFAIRS experiences are similar to those of civilian academ-ichealthcenters,withoneimportantdifference: LeadingtheMHS,istheOfficeoftheAssistantits emphasis is on military health care, leadership, Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs (OASD[HA]).readiness and public health.'