Dr. Edward Simmer, MD, is the director of the S.C.Department of Health and Environmental Control(DHEC). Appointed to the position by the S.C. Board ofHealth and Environmental Control, he assumed his dutiesas agency director, upon confirmation on Feb. 4, 2021.Prior to being confirmed as agency director, Dr. Simmerserved over thirty years on active duty in the UnitedStates Navy. In his most recent assignment, he served asthe first Chief Medical Officer and Deputy Director forthe TRICARE Health Plan at the Defense Health Agencyin Falls Church, VA. In this role he was responsible foroverseeing all clinical aspects of the civilian medicaland dental care provided to the 9.5 million active-dutyservice members, military retirees, and their familiesworldwide. He was also responsible for coordinatingefforts between private sector care and the militaryservices, modernizing the TRICARE benefit, anddeveloping the next set of TRICARE contracts, known asT-5 as part of a fully integrated system of care. Heassumed this position in September 2014.He served as the first Officer-in-Charge of the DefenseHealth Agency Navy Element, creating the commandfrom 27 formerly separate units, and leading over 250Sailors assigned to DHA worldwide.A native of Ohio, Dr. Simmer received his Bachelor of Artsdegree from Hiram College in 1986, his Doctor ofMedicine degree from the Saint Louis University School ofMedicine via the Navy Health Professions ScholarshipProgram in 1990, and his Master of Public Health degreefrom the Eastern Virginia Medical School/Old DominionUniversity Consortium in 2001. He is board certified ingeneral and forensic psychiatry by the American Boardof Psychiatry and Neurology. In addition, he is certified inadministrative psychiatry by the American PsychiatricAssociation.