Rudy deLeon
SVP of National Security and International Policy
Rudy deLeon is the Senior Vice President of National Security and International Policy at American Progress in Washington, D.C. He serves on several nonprofit boards and is a part-time college instructor. deLeon is also a former senior U.S. Department of Defense official, staff director on Capitol Hill, and retired corporate executive. For five years, beginning in 2001, he served as a senior vice president for the Boeing Company
deLeon’s 25-year government career concluded in 2001 after his tenure as deputy secretary of defense, where he was a member of the Deputies Committee of the National Security Council and the National Partnership Council. In earlier Pentagon assignments, deLeon served as undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness from 1997 to 2000, and as undersecretary of the Air Force from 1994 to 1997. He was nominated for these positions by President Bill Clinton and confirmed by the U.S. Senate.
From November 1985 through 1993, deLeon served on the Committee on Armed Services in the U.S. House of Representatives as a member of the professional staff and as staff director. In 1986, deLeon participated in the debate and passage of the 1986 Goldwater-Nichols Act, which made fundamental changes in military organization and operations.
deLeon began his career in the federal government in 1975, holding various staff positions in the U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives.
He earned a bachelor's degree from Loyola Marymount University in 1974, and in 1984 he completed the executive program in national and international security at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.
deLeon received the Defense Civilian Distinguished Service Award in 1994, 1995, and 2001, and received the National Intelligence Distinguished Service Medal in 2001. He was recognized by the National League of POW-MIA Families in 1999 and by the National Military Families Association in 2000.
Articles by Rudy deLeon
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Kim Jong-il’s Death Presents Uncertainty in North Korea,
December 19, 2011
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Taking the Iranian Nuclear Threat Seriously,
December 15, 2011
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Statement on the Death of Moammar Qaddafi,
October 20, 2011
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Remembering 9/11,
September 8, 2011
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Gen. John Shalikashvili: An Appreciation,
July 29, 2011
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How a Shutdown Would Affect Our Military,
April 7, 2011
- Are We Ready? An Independent Look at the Readiness Posture of U.S. Forces, March 3, 2011
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Are We Ready? An Independent Look at the Readiness Posture of U.S. Forces,
March 3, 2011
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Moving Beyond Start, Stop, Restart with China’s Military,
January 19, 2011
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U.S. Senate Should Pursue Other Options to Repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell",
December 9, 2010
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Department of Coastal Defense,
June 7, 2010
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Iraq Must Face Iran’s Nuclear Ambitions,
May 7, 2010
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Helping Haiti,
January 14, 2010
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Honoring the Unaccounted and Missing in Action,
October 22, 2009
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Securing America's Future,
August 25, 2009
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Trade Aid and Security Coalition Conference Remarks,
July 20, 2009
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National Security Personnel System Task Review Group Opening Remarks,
July 7, 2009
- Restructuring the Weapon Acquisition System , April 30, 2009
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Restructuring the Weapon Acquisition System ,
April 30, 2009
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Securing America’s Energy Independence Through Energy Diversification,
April 29, 2009
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Obama's European Listening Tour,
March 26, 2009
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National Security Strategy Must Combine Diplomacy, Might, and Strong Alliances,
September 28, 2008
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The Coldest Days of the Cold War,
September 26, 2008
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Changing Rationales,
May 1, 2008
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Share the Burden: Making Economic and Patriotic Sacrifices,
March 24, 2008
