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THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release January 24, 1994

PRESIDENT NAMES THREE TO SERVICE POSTS

President Clinton announced his intention today to nominate three assistant secretaries at the Pentagon: Gilbert F. Decker to be Assistant Secretary of the Army for Research, Development and Acquisition; Robert F. Hale to be Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Financial Management; and Sara E. Lister to be Assistant Secretary of the Army for Manpower and Reserves.

"As I ask William Perry to take over the reins at the Department of Defense, I am pleased to be continuing the process of ensuring that we have a strong team at every level of the Pentagon," said the President. "I expect Gilbert Decker, Robert Hale, and Sara Lister to all play an important role in keeping our armed services the best in the world."

Gilbert F. Decker has nearly three decades of experience in complex electronics systems planning and manufacture, advanced composite materials, high temperature aerodynamics, hazardous waste incineration research and alternative fuel research. Decker received an undergraduate degree in electrical engineering from Johns Hopkins Universiy and a Masters degree in Operations Research from Stanford University. As Assistant Secretary for Acquisition, he will have sole responsibility within the Office of the Secretary of the Army and the Army Staff for the development and procurement of Army equipment.

Robert F. Hale has been the Congressional Budget Office's Assistant Director for National Security programs for more than ten years, giving him extensive experience in solving complex budget issues. In his new role, Hale will be the Department of the Air Force's principal financial manager, responsible for forumlation and implementatino of the deaprtment's budget once appropriated by Congress. He holds a B.A. and an M.A. from Stanford University, and an M.B.A. from George Washington University.

Sara Lister has an extensive and varied background with the Department of Defense. She has served as General Counsel of the Army, Deputy General Counsel of the Navy, and Deputy Special Assistant to Secretary Harold Brown. Lister received a B.A. from Radcliffe College, an M.A. and a J.D. from George Washington University, and was a Ph.D. candidate at Yale University. In her new position, she will have sole responsibility for all personnel and reserve policy in the Army. # # #