Veteran national security policy guru John Rood is a leading candidate to serve Defense Secretary James Mattis as the next undersecretary of defense for policy, U.S. defense officials said, reported The Washington Times.
This key policymaking position within the Pentagon might be headed up by Rood, a missile defense and arms proliferation specialist, that has worked at the Pentagon, CIA, and National Security Council and was acting undersecretary of state for arms control and international security during the years of the George W. Bush administration. He also worked as a defense aide to Sen. Jon Kyl for four years.
Rood has also worked for defense contractors Raytheon and Lockheed Martin.
The appointment should be officially announced soon, insiders say. According to The Washington Times, a senior Pentagon official said Rood recently interviewed with Mattis. But he added that a final decision on the choice for the undersecretary slot has not yet been made.
