CDHAM was established in 1998 within USU's Department of Military and Emergency Medicine and serves as a central resource for the DoD, other government agencies and international partners. Headed by Charles Beadling, Col. USAF, M.D., CDHAM's staff has expertise in a broad range of areas, and its academic setting enables a multidisciplinary approach to disaster mitigation. The Center supports the U.S. military with a wide range of health-related activities around the world.