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THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release March 7, 2000

PRESIDENT CLINTON NAMES RUDY DE LEON DEPUTY SECRETARY OF DEFENSE

The President announced today his intent to nominate Rudy de Leon as Deputy Secretary at the Department of Defense.

Mr. Rudy de Leon, of Torrance, California, is currently the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness. He has served in this capacity since his confirmation in August of 1997. Prior to this position, Mr. de Leon served as the Under Secretary of the Air Force, a position he held from May 1994 until August of 1997. He also served the department under the leadership of Secretary of Defense, Les Aspin, as his special assistant. Before coming to the Pentagon with Secretary Aspin, Mr. de Leon was a professional staff member on the House Armed Services Committee from 1985 to 1992, culminating in his being staff director.

Mr. de Leon holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Loyola University at Los Angeles, and is a graduate of the Executive Program in National and International Security Affairs at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard. He received the Department of Defense Medal for Distinguished Public Service in February of 1994 and again in May 1995. He was presented with the Department of the Air Force Exceptional Civilian Service Award in August 1997.

The Deputy Secretary of Defense is responsible for running business internal to the department with a strong presence in the interagency process and interaction with Congress.

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