Skip main navigation

Military Health System

Hurricane Milton & Hurricane Helene

Emergency procedures are in place in multiple states due to Hurricane Milton & Hurricane Helene. >>Learn More

Skip subpage navigation

Health Readiness Policy & Oversight

The office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Readiness Policy and Oversight is the principal staff assistant and advisor to the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Health Affairs) for all medically-related readiness Department of Defense policies, programs, and activities. The office is responsible for force health protection, global health engagement, U.S. military assistance in global pandemic containment, international health agreements, deployment related health policy, joint theater-of-operations information systems, humanitarian and health missions, and national disaster support.

 

Areas of Responsibility

Medical Countermeasures

 

Medical Preparedness

 

Operational Medicine

 

Preventive Medicine

 

Reserve Medical Programs

Our Mission

HRP&O develops and oversees the execution of defense-wide deployment health care policy. These policies:

  • Enable medical providers in theater and in military hospitals and clinics to improve, protect, and sustain Service member health readiness and resilience.
  • Serve as guidelines based on meticulous research combining requirements, lessons learned, and best practices from commanders and Service members to optimize force health protection and medical readiness.

Our Vision

  • Provide policy and guidance for DOD medical force deployments, health protection, national disaster medical support, and medical readiness programs and activities 
  • Develop policy and oversight for healthcare supporting readiness, contingency and humanitarian operations 
  • Initiate and disseminate policies facilitating deployment of fully-trained and equipped medical personnel and units 
  • Oversee policy engagement in an effort to improve support for health issues that span both contingency and peacetime continuum of healthcare 
  • Maximize medical research and technology solutions to enhance readiness
Last Updated: April 07, 2023
Follow us on Instagram Follow us on LinkedIn Follow us on Facebook Follow us on X Follow us on YouTube Sign up on GovDelivery