S. Ward Casscells to Replace William Winkenwerder Jr.

President George W. Bush plans to replace Dr. William Winkenwerder, Jr. assistant defense secretary for health

The President intends to nominate S. Ward Casscells, of Texas, to be Assistant Secretary of Defense (Health Affairs). Dr. Casscells currently serves as a Professor of Medicine and Public Health at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston.

Prior to this, he served as the John Edward Tyson Distinguished Professor of Medicine and Chief of Cardiology at the University of Texas at Houston and Memorial Hermann Hospital. Earlier in his career, he served as Senior Investigator at the National Institutes of Health. Dr. Casscells received his bachelor's degree from Yale University and his MD from Harvard University.

For Immediate Release, Office of the Press Secretary, February 22, 2007

Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman said. This announcement has no bearing on current events whatsoever, William Winkenwerder had planned to leave his post since last year and the announcement is not related to problems at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. S. Ward Casscells, MD Biography

Casscells at Ibn Sina Hospital (Baghdad), home of the 10th Combat Support Hospital—depicted in "Baghdad ER" and CNN's "Combat Hospital." 9/6/06 Cardiologist Casscells applies all his skills to service of country

Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs Dr. William Winkenwerder Jr. DoD photo by Scott Davis, U.S. Army. (Released) High Resolution Image

The Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs (ASD/HA), is the principal staff assistant and advisor to the Secretary and Deputy Secretary of Defense and the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness for all Department of Defense (DoD) health policies, programs, and activities. The ASD/HA has the responsibility to effectively execute the Department's healthcare mission. This mission is to provide, and to maintain readiness to provide healthcare services and support to members of the Armed Forces during military operations. In addition, the Department's healthcare mission provides healthcare services and support to members of the Armed Forces, their family members, and others entitled to DoD healthcare.

In carrying out the responsibilities of the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs (OASD/HA), the ASD/HA exercises authority, direction, and control over the medical personnel, facilities, programs, funding, and other resources within the DoD. These responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Establishing policies, procedures, and standards that govern DoD healthcare programs
• Directing DoD financial policies, programs, and activities including unified budget formulations, program analysis, and evaluation
• Overseeing TRICARE and the consistent, effective implementation of DoD policy throughout the Military Health System
• Directing deployment medicine policies
Leading strategic planning for the Military Health System
• Maintaining strong communication with the line, beneficiary representatives and associations, the media and the Congress
• Presenting and justifying the unified medical program and budget throughout the planning, programming, and budgeting system process, including representation before the Congress
• Co-chairing with the director, Defense Research and Engineering, the Armed Services Biomedical Research Evaluation and Management Committee, which facilitates consideration of DoD biomedical research

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