SLDN Profiles: Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta
Editor’s note: As we look toward certification and repeal of the discriminatory “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” law, SLDN is profiling key military and defense leaders, who will be influencing and making key post-repeal decisions. We begin our series with the nation’s new Secretary of Defense, Leon Panetta.
On July 1, 2011, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta succeeded Robert Gates at the Pentagon’s top post. Most recently, Panetta served as Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, where he was appointed by President Obama in 2009.
As the nation’s new Secretary of Defense, Panetta must now oversee military operations in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Libya, as well as other trouble spots around the world; wrestle with budget cuts to recommend to Congress as it deals with reducing the federal deficits; and has the responsibility of certifying the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” (DADT).
A supporter of repeal and of LGBT equality throughout his career, Panetta told the Senate Armed Services Committee during his confirmation hearing in June that he “will work closely with the Joint Chiefs of Staff to assess whether the elements for certification in the law are met before signing it.” President Obama recently stated that DADT repeal will be certified in “weeks, not months,” so certification is likely to be among Secretary Panetta’s first tasks in office.
Born to Italian immigrants, Panetta is a native of Monterey, CA, and received his Bachelor’s Degree and Law Degree from Santa Clara University. He began his career in the Army in 1964 as a Second Lieutenant, where he eventually earned the Army Commendation Medal and was discharged as a First Lieutenant in 1966. Following his service, he worked in Washington, D.C. as a legislative assistant to U.S. Senate Minority Whip Tom Kuchel of California. In 1969, he was appointed Director of the U.S. Office for Civil Rights during the Nixon Administration before becoming Executive Assistant to the Mayor of New York City. After a year in New York, he moved back to California where he practiced law until he was elected to Congress in 1977.
During his time in Congress, he served on the House Budgetary Committee, including 4 years as chairman, from 1989-1993. He authored a wide range of legislation covering budgetary matters, environmental causes, and civil rights issues. In 1993, he left Congress to work for the incoming Clinton Administration as Director of the Office of Management and Budget. One year later, he accepted the appointment to become President Bill Clinton’s Chief of Staff and served there until 1997. After the Clinton Administration, he returned home to establish the Panetta Institute at California State University, which provides a variety of study opportunities in government, politics and public policy.
In a statement last week, SLDN Executive Director Aubrey Sarvis welcomed the new Secretary. For more information on Secretary Panetta and the Department of Defense, visit www.defense.gov.
07-06-11 By Paul DeMiglio, SLDN Senior Communications Manager |
Comments
Comments for this entry are closed.