DOD's New Comptroller

The Senate has confirmed Michael McCord as the next Defense Department comptroller by a 52-41 vote, succeeding Robert Hale, who has held the position for the past five years.

McCord has served as DOD's deputy comptroller since 2009.

According to his official biography:

Mr. McCord joined the Department of Defense (DoD) with 24 years of experience in national security issues in the legislative branch, including 21 years as a Professional Staff Member on the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) for former Senator Sam Nunn and the current Chairman Senator Carl Levin. He served on the SASC full committee staff beginning in 1987 and also, starting in 1995, as the minority or majority staff lead on the Subcommittee on Readiness and Management Support.

On the SASC Readiness Subcommittee, Mr. McCord was responsible for installation and global basing matters including construction or leasing of new military facilities, maintenance of existing facilities, base closure and base reuse matters, land and property disposal and exchange issues, DoD use of public lands, and privatization of DoD housing and utilities. He was also responsible for oversight of over $100 billion in annual DoD operation and maintenance funding and military readiness policy matters including training, supplies, operating tempo, contingency operations funding, equipment maintenance, and the operations of the working capital funds.

At the full committee level he had oversight of defense budget matters, including the defense topline; oversight of DoD’s Quadrennial Defense Review; supplemental funding for contingency operations and natural disasters; resource allocation among subcommittees; ensuring compliance with discretionary and mandatory spending targets; and advising the Committee on fiscal and budget policy issues. He also managed the Committee’s review of the reprogramming of defense funds and coordination with the Appropriations and Budget Committees.

Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee Ranking Member Tom Coburn (R-OK) has expressed concern about McCord, as InsideDefense.com reported in May:

"I'm concerned that who replaces you should have the management experience, the educational experience, the financial auditing experience to actually lead this organization," Coburn said. "We have a good nominee but he doesn't have any of those qualifications."

When asked by Coburn what qualifications Hale wants his replacement to have, the comptroller threw his support behind McCord.

"First and foremost, I would want somebody who's a leader. I think Mike McCord will do that," Hale said. "I'd want somebody who knows the defense financial management and federal financial management. And it's not just audit. We've got to worry about budget too. I mean, that is part of the job of the under secretary of defense comptroller. I think Mike knows that well."