Assistant Secretary of Defense for Manpower and Reserve Affairs
Assistant Secretary of Defense for Manpower and Reserve Affairs (ASD(M&RA)) is a senior official in the U.S. Department of Defense. The ASD(M&RA) acts as the main advisor to the Secretary of Defense, the Deputy Secretary of Defense, and the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness on policies for the total force—manpower, personnel, and reserve affairs. The office oversees the reserve components, 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 to the Under Secretary for Personnel and Readiness and has authority over the National Committee for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve.
Current holder: Tim Dills, since December 29, 2025.
What the office does:
- Sets policies for a sustainable, integrated, total force.
- Delivers advice about the capabilities of the reserve components.
- Develops policies and resources to fully use those capabilities.
- Measures success by building a culture of mutual trust between active and reserve components.
History in brief: The job and its duties have changed several times since 1950. Key points include:
- 1950: First oversight of manpower and personnel affairs.
- 1955: Redesignated as Assistant Secretary of Defense (Manpower, Personnel, and Reserve).
- 1961: Renamed Assistant Secretary of Defense (Manpower).
- 1967: Title became Assistant Secretary of Defense (Manpower and Reserve Affairs) under the Reserve Forces Bill of Rights.
- 1977: Combined with installations and logistics to form Assistant Secretary of Defense (Manpower, Reserve Affairs, and Logistics).
- 1984: Title changed to Assistant Secretary of Defense (Manpower, Installations, and Logistics); reserve affairs moved to a separate role.
- 1994: Reserve affairs functions reestablished under the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness.
- 2015: Redesignated as Assistant Secretary of Defense for Manpower and Reserve Affairs.
Additional note: On September 16, 2022, President Biden announced his intent to nominate Ronald Keohane to the position.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 05:07 (CET).