In the United States Department of Defense, the assistant secretary of defense for manpower and reserve affairs (ASD (M&RA)) serves as principal staff assistant and advisor to the secretary of defense, deputy secretary of defense and under secretary of defense for personnel and readiness, with responsibility for "overall policies and procedures of [U.S.] Total Force manpower, personnel and reserve affairs," including the Army National Guard, Army Reserve, Navy Reserve, Marine Corps Reserve, Air National Guard, Air Force Reserve and Coast Guard Reserve. The ASD (M&RA) reports directly to the under secretary of defense (P&R) and exercises authority, direction, and control over the National Committee for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve.

Responsibilities

According to a statement of intent signed by the ASD (M&RA), the purpose of the office is "to set the conditions for a sustainable, seamlessly integrated and complementary total force." To do so, the ASD (M&RA) seeks to "proactively deliver credible advice and information about the capabilities of the reserve components," and "develop the policies and resources necessary to fully exploit those capabilities." The language of these statements is precise and deliberate. As the statement of intent explains:

The ASD (M&RA) "sets the conditions" because the individual armed services must integrate the forces themselves. “Seamlessly integrated” and “complementary” are characteristics of a reserve force that can augment and reinforce the active components in every facet of the National Security Strategy. These characteristics imply an absence of friction and a mutually supporting force structure. A “total force” is the combination of active and reserve components that service chiefs provide willingly, and that unified combatant commanders can utilize effectively. “Delivering credible advice and information” requires fidelity to fact and a humility that avoids boastfulness and over-promising. “Resources” include modern and well-positioned equipment and facilities, and the assets necessary for a force that is trained for both irregular and conventional warfare prior to mobilization and deployment. To "exploit" reserve capabilities means “to take full advantage” of them. In business, it would mean a high return on investment.

The statement of intent also sets out a metric for this office's performance: "Our success will be measured by the degree to which we have advanced a culture of mutual appreciation and confidence in both the active and reserve components."

History

The title and portfolio of the assistant secretary for manpower and reserve affairs has evolved several times over the years. An assistant secretary of defense was first assigned oversight of DoD manpower and personnel affairs in 1950 by Secretary George C. Marshall. In September 1955, Secretary Charles Wilson redesignated the position as Assistant Secretary of Defense (Manpower, Personnel, and Reserve).

DoD Directive 5120.27 (31 January 1961) redesignated the position as Assistant Secretary of Defense (Manpower), but after a few years, the Reserve Forces Bill of Rights and Vitalization Act (P.L. 90-168, signed 1 December 1967), changed the title to Assistant Secretary of Defense (Manpower and Reserve Affairs).

Defense Directive 5124.1, signed 20 April 1977, combined the position with the assistant secretary of defense (installations and logistics) to become the assistant secretary of defense (manpower, reserve affairs, and logistics).

Following the FY 1984 Defense Authorization Act (P.L. 98-94, 24 September 1983), the title was changed to Assistant Secretary of Defense (Manpower, Installations, and Logistics), and the reserve affairs functions were reconstituted into a new position called Assistant Secretary of Defense (Reserve Affairs).

The assistant secretary of defense (reserve affairs) became a reporting official to the under secretary of defense for personnel and readiness when the latter role was established through the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1994 (P.L. 103-160).

Section 902 of the Carl Levin and Howard P. "Buck" McKeon National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2015 (P.L. 113-291, 19 December 2014) redesignated the position as the assistant secretary of defense for manpower and reserve affairs.

Officeholders

+ Assistant secretaries of defense for manpower and reserve affairs (and preceding offices) Name Tenure SecDef(s) served under President(s) served under Assistant Secretary of Defense (Manpower and Personnel) Anna M. Rosenberg November 15, 1950 – January 20, 1953 George C. Marshall Robert A. Lovett Harry Truman John A. Hannah February 11, 1953 – July 31, 1954 Charles E. Wilson Dwight Eisenhower Carter L. Burgess September 24, 1954 – September, 1955 Charles E. Wilson Dwight Eisenhower Assistant Secretary of Defense (Manpower, Personnel, and Reserve) Carter L. Burgess September, 1955 – January 22, 1957 Charles E. Wilson Dwight Eisenhower William H. Francis April 19, 1957 – May 24, 1958 Charles E. Wilson Neil H. McElroy Dwight Eisenhower Charles O. Finucane July 15, 1958 – January 19, 1961 Neil H. McElroy Thomas S. Gates Dwight Eisenhower Assistant Secretary of Defense (Manpower) Carlisle P. Runge February 17, 1961 – July 30, 1962 Robert S. McNamara John F. Kennedy Norman S. Paul August 8, 1962 – September 30, 1965 Robert S. McNamara John F. Kennedy Lyndon Johnson Thomas D. Morris October 1, 1965 – August 31, 1967 Robert S. McNamara Lyndon Johnson Alfred B. Fitt October 9, 1967 – December 31, 1967 Robert S. McNamara Lyndon Johnson Assistant Secretary of Defense (Manpower and Reserve Affairs) Alfred B. Fitt January 1, 1968 – February 20, 1969 Robert S. McNamara Clark M. Clifford Melvin R. Laird Lyndon Johnson Richard Nixon Roger T. Kelley March 3, 1969 – June 1, 1973 Melvin R. Laird Elliot L. Richardson Richard Nixon Carl W. Clewlow (Acting) June 1, 1973 – September 1, 1973 Elliot L. Richardson James R. Schlesinger Richard Nixon William K. Brehm September 1, 1973 – March 18, 1976 James R. Schlesinger Donald H. Rumsfeld Richard Nixon Gerald Ford David P. Taylor July 7, 1976 – February 12, 1977 Donald H. Rumsfeld Harold Brown Gerald Ford Jimmy Carter Assistant Secretary of Defense (Manpower, Reserve Affairs, and Logistics) John P. White May 11, 1977 – October 31, 1978 Harold Brown Jimmy Carter Robert B. Pirie, Jr. June 17, 1979 – January 20, 1981 Harold Brown Jimmy Carter Lawrence J. Korb May 4, 1981 – January 12, 1984 Caspar W. Weinberger Ronald Reagan Assistant Secretary of Defense (Reserve Affairs) Jim Webb May 3, 1984 - April 10, 1987 Caspar W. Weinberger Ronald Reagan Stephen M. Duncan October 26, 1987 - January 20, 1993 Caspar W. Weinberger Frank C. Carlucci III William H. Taft IV (Acting) Richard B. CheneyRonald Reagan George H. W. Bush Deborah R. Lee June 1, 1993 - April 11, 1998 Leslie Aspin, Jr. William J. Perry William S. CohenBill Clinton Charles Cragin April 12, 1998 - August 3, 1999 (Acting) August 4, 1999 - May 31, 2001 (PDASD, in charge) William S. Cohen Donald H. RumsfeldBill Clinton George W. Bush Thomas F. Hall October 9, 2002 - April 8, 2009 Donald H. Rumsfeld Robert M. GatesGeorge W. Bush Barack Obama Dennis M. McCarthy June 25, 2009 - April 19, 2011 Robert M. Gates Barack Obama David McGinnis (Acting) April 19, 2011 - May 24, 2012 Leon Panetta Barack Obama Jessica L. Wright May 24, 2012 - December 31, 2012 Leon Panetta Barack Obama Richard O. Wightman, Jr. (Acting) January 1, 2013 - August 2015 Chuck Hagel Barack Obama Assistant Secretary of Defense (Manpower and Reserve Affairs) Todd A. Weiler May 15, 2016 - January 20, 2017 Ashton Carter Barack Obama Stephanie Barna (Acting) January 20, 2017 - July 30, 2018 James Mattis Donald Trump Virginia S. Penrod (Acting) July 31, 2018 - October 22, 2018 James Mattis Donald Trump James N. Stewart October 22, 2018 - December 13, 2019 James MattisMark Esper Donald TrumpVirginia S. Penrod (Acting/Performing the Duties of)December 13, 2019 - May 2, 2022Mark EsperLloyd AustinDonald TrumpJoe BidenThomas A. Constable (Performing the Duties of)May 2, 2022 - April 1, 2023Lloyd AustinJoe BidenGrier Martin (Performing the Duties of)April 1, 2023 - March 13, 2024Lloyd AustinJoe BidenRonald KeohaneMarch 13, 2024 – January 20, 2025Lloyd AustinJoe BidenTim Dill (Acting)January 20, 2025 - July 18, 2025 Pete Hegseth Donald TrumpJules W. Hurst III (Acting)July 18, 2025 – August 11, 2025Bill Fitzhugh (Acting)August 11, 2025 – November 13, 2025Merylnn Carson (Acting)November 13, 2025 – December 29, 2025Tim DillDecember 29, 2025 – Present

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