J. Daniel Howard Carlucci and his deputy, General Colin Powell. Howard focussed on arms control issues and remained through the signing of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty in January 1988. He also dealt with many issues associated with the Iran–Contra affair. On December 21, 1987, President Reagan nominated Howard to serve as Assistant Secretary of Defense (Public Affairs) and Howard would hold this post from February 1988 through May 1989. He worked for Secretary of Defense Frank Carlucci and dealt with the aftermath of the shooting down of Iran Air Flight 655 by the U.S.S. "Vincennes" and the explosion of a gun mount
Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs completely on January 31, 1961, and for the remainder of the decade, all of its functions were vested in the "Assistant Secretary of Defense (Manpower)". However, Congress authorized a permanent assistant secretary position for health affairs in November 1969 (P.L. 91-121). The post was then re-established as "Assistant Secretary of Defense (Health and Environment)" in June 1970 by Defense Directive 5136.1. In January 1976, the position was re-designated "Assistant Secretary of Defense (Health Affairs)", a title that has endured to the present day. The ASD(HA) is responsible for a number of organizations which directly affect the health care of service