Authorized by act of September 21, 1972 (86 Stat. 713; 10 U.S.C. 2112), the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences was established to educate career-oriented medical officers for the military services. It is a separate agency of the Department of Defense, directly responsible to the Secretary of Defense (Department of Defense Directive 5105.45).

The University currently incorporates the F. Edward Hébert School of Medicine and graduate and continuing education programs. It is located on the Naval Medical Command reservation in Bethesda, MD.

Students are selected by procedures recommended by the Board of Regents and prescribed by the Secretary of Defense. The actual selection is carried out by a faculty committee on admissions and is based upon motivation and dedication to a career in the uniformed services and an overall appraisal of the personal and intellectual characteristics of the candidates without regard to sex, race, religion, or national origin. Applicants must be U.S. citizens.

Matriculants will be commissioned officers in one of the uniformed services. They must meet the physical and personal qualifications for such a commission and must give evidence of a strong commitment to serving as a uniformed medical officer. The

graduating medical student is required to serve a period of obligation of not less than 7 years.

Currently, there are approximately 640 officers training for their M.D. degrees in the University's F. Edward Hébert School of Medicine and approximately 156 individuals enrolled in one of the University's graduate programs in the basic sciences.

The University's graduate program is fully accredited and is available to both civilian and military applicants. Graduates may receive the PH.D. degree in one of the biomedical sciences, the master of public health degree, or the master of tropical medicine and hygiene degree. In addition, the University serves as the focus for a vigorous continuing medical education program that supports the

Under Secretary The Under Secretary serves as Acting Secretary in the absence of the Secretary and performs on behalf of the Secretary such functions and duties as the Secretary may designate and coordinates Federal-State relations. Intergovernmental and Interagency Affairs The Deputy Under Secretary for Intergovernmental and Interagency Affairs is responsible for providing overall leadership in coordinating regional and field activities as well as establishing and directing intergovernmental and interagency services for the Department. This includes communicating with a wide variety of intergovernmental, interagency, and public advocacy groups and constituencies affected by Department policy, programs, and operations. Inspector General The Inspector General is responsible for conducting and supervising audits and investigations relating to programs and operations of the Department. The Office provides leadership, coordination, and policy recommendations to promote economy, efficiency, and effectiveness; and to prevent and detect fraud and abuse in the administration of the Department's programs and operations. The Office also provides a means for keeping the Secretary and Congress fully and currently informed about problems and deficiencies relating to the administration of such programs and operations, and the necessity of corrective action. General Counsel The General Counsel provides legal advice to the Secretary and to the components of the Department.

Bilingual Education The Director of the Office of Bilingual Education and Minority Languages Affairs ensures access to equal educational opportunity and improves the quality of programs for limited English proficiency and minority languages populations by providing support for programs, activities, and management initiatives meeting the special educational needs of those populations. The Office also provides assistance for the development, adoption, and implementation of plans for the desegregation of public schools.

Management The Deputy Under Secretary for Management provides advice and guidance to the Secretary on administrative and financial management and provides for the direction and coordination of these activities throughout the Department on a day-today basis. These activities include financial management, personnel, training, grants and procurement management, management evaluation, ADP, and other support functions. Planning, Budget and Evaluation The Deputy Under Secretary for Planning, Budget and Evaluation coordinates Department activities in the preparation of the departmental budget, program analysis, and planning activities, and ensures that Department policy and program planning appropriately reflects the results of these activities. The Office also conducts activities designed to inform the general public and the Nation's educational community about Department programs and activities. Legislation The Assistant Secretary for Legislation serves as the principal adviser to the Secretary on matters concerning the Department's legislative program and congressional relations.

Civil Rights The Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights is responsible for the administration and enforcement of civil rights laws related to education and the handicapped. The Office is responsible for ensuring compliance in programs and activities receiving Federal financial assistance and by employers holding Federal contracts.

Elementary and Secondary Education The Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education formulates policy for, directs, and coordinates the activities relating to preschool,

elementary, and secondary education in the Department. Included are programs of grants to State educational agencies and local school districts for Indian and migrant education, programs of financial and technical assistance to school districts to meet special needs incident to the elimination of racial segregation and discrimination, and grants for the education of neglected and delinquent students.