[5] The NCMI traces its origins to the organization of a medical intelligence section in the Office of the Surgeon General of the United States Army during World War II.

As the prospect of United States entry into the war increased, the need for a full-time staff of medical intelligence analysts became apparent.

[9] It was created by transferring personnel and files from the Medical Intelligence Division and the Reference Library of the Office the Surgeon General of the United States Army.

Each substantive division is made up of two teams, the duties of which include: Environmental Health Epidemiology Life Sciences and Biotechnology Medical Capabilities The directorship of NCMI was historically held "primarily by military officers;" only two civilians have ever occupied the position.

[17] Past directors include medical doctor, former undercover CIA officer, and Air Force Colonel Dr. Anthony Rizzo, who held the position for eight years[18] before retiring in 2013;[19] and former Army doctor and NCMI infectious disease intelligence analyst Dr. Kathryn Morici, the center's first female and second civilian director,[17] who took office in February 2014 but was, by at least April 2021, replaced by R. Shane Day.

"[20] Customers range from operational and tactical commanders, preventive medicine personnel, and medical planners and researchers to the policymakers in the United States Department of Defense, the White House staff and other federal agencies.

[23] NCMI's director is charged with acting as "the Medical Intelligence consultant to the Army, Navy, and Air Force Surgeons General.

However, in the interest of transparency during this current public health crisis, we can confirm that media reporting about the existence/release of a National Center for Medical Intelligence Coronavirus-related product/assessment in November 2019 is not correct.

"[25]The National Center for Medical Intelligence was thought to be part of the daily pandemic briefings of the White House: "The value that NCMI brings is that it has access to information streams that the World Health Organization does not have, nor does the Centers for Disease Control or anyone else," said Denis Kaufman, a retired senior officer who worked at the NCMI.

In normal times, the NCMI's primary customer is the U.S. military, which uses the information to monitor potential health threats to its forces abroad.