The U.S. Department of Defense & Global Health

This report provides the first comprehensive look at the Defense Department’s role in global health, examining its organizational structure, activities, strategy, policy, and budget for activities related to global health. The department has a long history of supporting health and medical activities internationally, though it does not typically define these efforts as “global health.” With its vast geographic reach, long-standing partnerships with foreign governments, ability to rapidly mobilize significant resources, and scientific and technical expertise, the Defense Department has significant resources for activities that impact the health of people around the world.

This report provides a full assessment of the department’s global health engagement across the entire organization and discusses key issues for policymakers and global health stakeholders at this time of transition in national security strategy and defense policy, as they consider how the Defense Department fits into the larger global health landscape.

Report (.pdf)

Technical Volume (.pdf)

This report is complemented by The U.S. Department of Defense and Global Health: Infectious Disease Efforts, a Kaiser Family Foundation report released the following fall that provides an overview of the department’s work pertaining to infectious diseases.