Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness

The Under Secretary for Personnel and Readiness, or USD(P&R) is a high-ranking position in the United States Department of Defense responsible for advising the 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. This position is currently held by retired Major General Clifford Stanley, USMC, who was nominated by President Barack Obama and confirmed by the U.S. Senate in October 2009.

The USD(P&R) has oversight of the Defense Health Program, Defense Commissaries and Exchanges, Defense Education Activity, the Defense Equal Opportunity Management Institute, and the Defense Travel System. 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 Under Secretary of Defense for Military Personnel Policy, the United States Military Entrance Processing Command also reports to the Under Secretary.

When created in 1994, the USD(P&R) assumed authority primarily over three DoD offices: the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health......
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