Assistant Secretary for Health

The Assistant Secretary for Health (ASH) serves as the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services's primary advisor on matters involving the nation's public health and, if serving as an active member in the regular corps, is the highest ranking uniformed officer in the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps (PHSCC). The ASH oversees all matters pertaining to the U.S. Public Health Service (PHS), the main division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), for the Secretary as well as provide strategic and policy direction for the PHSCC. The PHS comprises almost all the agency divisions of the HHS as well as the PHSCC, a uniformed service of more than 6,700 health professionals who serve at the HHS, other federal agencies, and/or are assigned details to the armed forces. The ASH is a civilian or a uniformed officer of the regular corps and is nominated for appointment by the President. The nominee must also be confirmed by the Senate. The ASH serves a four-year term of office at the pleasure of the President. If the appointee is also a serving uniformed officer of the regular corps, he or she is also appointed as a four-star admiral in the regular corps.[1][2] The President may also nominate a civilian appointee to also be appointed a direct commission into the regular corps if the nominee so chooses.[2][3] As such the position of ASH is the only office in the PHS that merits a four-star grade in the regular corps. The Assistant Secretary's office and staff are known as the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health (OASH). The current Assistant Secretary for Health is Admiral Brett Giroir.

Assistant Secretary for Health
Incumbent
Admiral Brett P. Giroir
since February 15, 2018
FormationNovember 2, 1965 (1965-11-02)
First holderPhilip R. Lee
WebsiteOfficial website

History

The Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health and Scientific Affairs was established on January 1, 1967 following the Reorganization Plan No. 3 of 1966. The plan allowed the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare to restructure the Public Health Service to better serve public health.[4] The office was renamed to the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health following the Department of Education Organization Act in 1972.[4]

Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health
Main article: Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health

As of 2018, the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health oversees 12 core public health offices, 10 regional health offices, and 10 presidential and secretarial advisory committees.[5] Prior to 2010, the Office was known as the Office of Public Health and Science.[6]

The stars, shoulder boards, and sleeve stripes of the Assistant Secretary for Health if serving in the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps.

List of Assistant Secretaries for Health
# Name Photo Term of office Appointed by
Start End
1 Philip R. Lee





November 2, 1965 1969 Lyndon B. Johnson
2 Roger O. Egeberg





July 14, 1969 1971 Richard Nixon
3 Merlin K. DuVal





July 1, 1971 January 20, 1973
4 Charles C. Edwards April 18, 1973 January 5, 1975
5 Dr. Theodore Cooper





July 1, 1975 1977
6 VADM Julius B. Richmond 1977 1981 Jimmy Carter
7 Edward N. Brandt, Jr.





May 14, 1981 1984 Ronald Reagan
8 Robert E. Windom





1986 1989
9 ADM James O. Mason 1989 1993 George H. W. Bush
10 Philip R. Lee





July 2, 1993 1998 Bill Clinton
11 ADM David Satcher February 13, 1998 January 2001
12 Eve Slater





February 8, 2002 February 5, 2003 George W. Bush
(Acting) RADM Cristina V. Beato





February 5, 2003 December 17, 2005
13 ADM John O. Agwunobi December 17, 2005 September 4, 2007
14 ADM Joxel García March 28, 2008 January 20, 2009
(Acting) RADM Steven K. Galson January 22, 2009 June 22, 2009 Barack Obama
15 Howard K. Koh June 22, 2009 August 2014
(Acting) Karen B. DeSalvo





August 2014 February 10, 2017
(Acting) Don J. Wright February 10, 2017 February 15, 2018 Donald Trump
16 ADM Brett P. Giroir February 15, 2018 Incumbent

References
  1. "PHSCC Uniforms". Archived from the original on 2008-05-13. Retrieved 2008-01-19.
  2. "42 USC 207. Grades, ranks, and titles of commissioned corps". Retrieved 2008-01-19.
  3. "Regular Corps Assimilation Program" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2010-05-08. Retrieved 2008-01-19.
  4. Records of the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health [OASH].
  5. "Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health (OASH)". HHS.gov. 2016-03-30. Retrieved 2018-10-17.
  6. "Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health (ASH)". 2010-09-22. Archived from the original on 2010-09-22. Retrieved 2018-10-17.
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