Rupert "Rudy" Frank de Leon Jr.(born August 28, 1952)[1]is an American former seniorDepartment of Defenseofficial, military adviser,lobbyist,[2]and foreign policy adviser.[3]He served as theDeputy Secretary of Defense,described as the "second-highest civilian defense position", from March 31, 2000 until March 16, 2001,[4]and before appointed as Deputy Secretary he had served asUnder Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readinessfrom 1997 until 2000 and asUnder Secretary of the Air Forcefrom 1994 to 1997 in the administration ofBill Clinton.[5]
Rudy de Leon | |
|---|---|
 | |
| 27thUnited States Deputy Secretary of Defense | |
| In office March 31, 2000 – March 1, 2001 | |
| President | Bill Clinton George W Bush |
| Preceded by | John Hamre |
| Succeeded by | Paul Wolfowitz |
| Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness | |
| In office August 5, 1997 – March 31, 2000 | |
| President | Bill Clinton |
| Preceded by | Edwin Dorn |
| Succeeded by | Bernard D. Rostker |
| Under Secretary of the Air Force | |
| In office 1994–1997 | |
| President | Bill Clinton |
| Preceded by | Anne N. Foreman |
| Succeeded by | F. Whitten Peters |
| Personal details | |
| Born | August 28, 1952 Pasadena, California |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Anne de Leon |
| Children | 2 |
| Education | Loyola Marymount University(BA) |
Since 2007, he has served as Senior Vice President of National Security and International Policy at theCenter for American ProgressinWashington.[6]
Education
editBorn inPasadena, California,De Leon studied atEl Camino Collegefor two years and then transferred toLoyola Marymount University,earning a B.A. degree in history in 1974. He continued his education at theUniversity of Marylandin 1977. De Leon later completed the executive program in national and international security affairs at theJohn F. Kennedy School of GovernmentatHarvard Universityin 1984.[1]
Government career
editDe Leon began his career in the federal government in 1975, and held various positions for 25 years until 2001. He had staff positions in theSenateandHouse of Representatives.From 1985 through 1993, he served on the Committee on Armed Services as a member of the professional staff and director. In 1987–1988, he attendedMIT Seminar XXI.[7]In 1986, he participated in the debate and passage of the 1986Goldwater-Nichols Act,which made fundamental changes in military organization and operations. He was a top aide toLes Aspinin 1993.[8]He was nominated by then-presidentBill Clinton,and confirmed by theSenate,for the positions of undersecretary of the Air Force from 1994 to 1997, and undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness from 1997 to 2000. He worked with civilian Pentagon officials on matters such as ending discrimination within the military,[9]decisions about awarding Medals of Honor to military service personnel,[10]as well as preventingbiological terrorismby inoculations against anthrax.[11]As Deputy Defense Secretary, he had authority over matters such as decisions by theAir Forceregarding military spy planes.[12]According to a website from the Center for American Progress, he received the Defense Civilian Distinguished Service Award in 1994, 1995, and 2001, and received theNational Intelligence Distinguished Service Medalin 2001, and was recognized by the National League of POW-MIA Families in 1999 and by the National Military Families Association in 2000.
Lobbying
editDe Leon worked for theBoeing Companyas a senior vice president from 2001 to 2006, managing the Washington office.
Other activities
editDe Leon has served as a college lecturer as well as foreign policy expert for the Center for American Progress. He has written numerous articles on matters of foreign policy and military policy.
References
edit- ^ab"Biographical and Financial Information Requested of Nominees".Hearings before the Committee on Armed Services, United States Senate.Vol. 4. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office. 2001. pp. 59–60.ISBN9780160657146.Retrieved2021-03-21.
- ^"Citizen K Street: How Lobbying Became Washington's Biggest Business -- Cast of Characters: Here are some key figures in the 30-year story of Cassidy & Associates, one of the most powerful lobbying firms in Washington".Washington Post.2007.Retrieved2011-02-08.
Rudy De Leon, longtime aide to former Rep. Les Aspin (D-Wis.), deputy secretary of defense in the Clinton administration and head of the Washington office of the Boeing Corp., which employed Cassidy & Associates.
- ^Glenn Kessler (2007-12-27)."The Fact Checker: The Truth Behind the Rhetoric".Washington Post.Archived fromthe originalon September 18, 2008.Retrieved2011-02-08.
Other foreign policy "advisers" -- Clinton Advisers -- Rudy De Leon, Deputy defense secretary
- ^"Archived copy"(PDF).Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 2011-05-16.Retrieved2017-02-07.
{{cite web}}:CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^"Deputy at Defense Is Leaving Office".The New York Times.January 11, 2000.Retrieved2011-02-08.
Pentagon officials said Mr. Clinton was expected to nominate Rudy De Leon, the under secretary of defense for personnel and readiness, to take over the second-highest civilian defense position for what remains of the president's term. Like Dr. Hamre, Mr. De Leon arrived at the Pentagon in 1993 in Mr. Aspin's short tenure and stayed on.
- ^Rudy de Leon-Center for American Progress
- ^Art, Robert (September 1, 2015)."From the Director: September, 2015".MIT Seminar XXI.Massachusetts Institute of Technology.;Massachusetts Institute of Technology."Find Alumni".MIT Seminar XXI.Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
- ^ERIC SCHMITT (July 14, 1993)."Aspin Reported To Have Settled On Gay Policy".The New York Times.Retrieved2011-02-08.
Mr. Sheridan said he and Ms. Feld blum, the group's legal director, met with Rudy de Leon, a top aide to Mr. Aspin who has been brokering the delicate negotiations, and Jamie Gorelick, the Pentagon's general counsel.
- ^ERIC SCHMITT (April 16, 1993)."Pentagon Speeds Plan to Lift Gay Ban".The New York Times.Retrieved2011-02-08.
Under the direction of a senior aide to Mr. Aspin, Rudy de Leon, top civilian Pentagon officials are seeking to write an executive order by July 15 that meets President Clinton's goal to end discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, and that is acceptable to Congress and the armed forces. 'Practical Resolution'
- ^"Vietnam Unknown's Medal to Stay With Tomb".Los Angeles Times.Associated Press. August 23, 1998.Retrieved2011-02-08.
ST. LOUIS — The Medal of Honor that hung on the Tomb of the Unknowns for 14 years while Air Force Lt. Michael J. Blassie was buried there will not join him at his new burial place. Relatives of the Vietnam War casualty, whose remains were identified and moved this summer to a national cemetery near his home, were told by Undersecretary of Defense Rudy de Leon that their request for the medal had been denied.
- ^ELAINE SCIOLINO (July 13, 2000)."Anthrax Vaccination Program Is Failing, Pentagon Admits".The New York Times.Retrieved2011-02-08.
Deputy Secretary of Defense Rudy de Leon called the anthrax threatimmediate, real and constant.
- ^PETER PAE (January 7, 2001)."Military Is Sold on Unmanned Spy Plane".Los Angeles Times.Archived fromthe originalon November 5, 2012.Retrieved2011-02-08.
Last week, the argument appears to have in part swayed Deputy Defense Secretary Rudy de Leon to scuttle Air Force's request to add $1 billion over the next five years to speed up production of the aircraft. De Leon cited budget constraints but he was also troubled by lack of consensus among some commanders who advocated a cautious approach to the plane's development.