Job Assignment

Pentagon Assistant Deputy Chief Management Officer David Wennergren has been assigned as director of the Business Transformation Agency, according to a Pentagon statement issued this afternoon. The new assignment will be "in addition to his [current] duties," the statement adds. Wennergren's previous job was deputy chief information officer in the office of the assistant secretary of defense for networks and information integration (NII), which along with BTA has been on the budgetary chopping block.

Wennergren told Inside the Pentagon last summer that the information-sharing initiatives spearheaded by his office will play an integral role in Defense Secretary Robert Gates' plan to streamline efficiencies -- provided the office does not get eliminated in the name of efficiency:

In a July 22 interview with Inside the Pentagon, the Defense Department's Deputy Chief Information Officer David Wennergren said the push by the office of the assistant secretary of defense for networks and information integration (NII) for better information technology will contribute to the department's overall ability to become more efficient.

On the same morning Wennergren spoke with ITP, the Defense Business Board proposed eliminating the entire office.

Wennergren did not provide a response to the board's proposal at press time (July 28).

But during the interview, Wennergren said the ability of the department to use information technology in a more effective way can help with Gates' efficiency push, which calls for saving $100 billion over the next five years.

"It's my belief that the opportunities that lay before us in terms of how to deliver information capabilities as effectively as possible are going to be a great help to the secretary in terms of finding the efficiencies that he wants to achieve," Wennergren told ITP.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates announced in August his proposal to eliminate the CIO office as well as the Joint Staff's J-6 function, both of which deal with enterprise information technology and hardware issues. Their missions will be performed by other organizations, Gates said, noting a refashioned Defense Information Systems Agency will perform the department's chief information office function. Additionally, Gates proposed the elimination of the Business Transformation Agency and U.S. Joint Forces Command.

Other DOD personnel assignments announced today include:

Mary Justis has been appointed to the Senior Executive Service and is assigned as chief, health plan integration, Tricare Management Activity, Falls Church, Va.  Justis previously served as branch chief, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Atlanta, Ga. . . .

Sumit Agarwal has been assigned as senior advisor, Principal Office of the Under Secretary of Defense (Policy), Cyber Engagement and Innovation, Washington, D.C.  Agarwal previously served as deputy assistant secretary of defense (public affairs outreach and social media), Washington, D.C.

Theresa M. Whelan has been assigned as deputy assistant secretary of defense (defense continuity and crisis management), Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Homeland Defense & America's Security Affairs), Washington, D.C.  Whelan previously served as deputy assistant secretary of defense (homeland defense domains and defense support of civil authorities), Washington, D.C.

Gregory Schulte has been assigned as deputy assistant secretary of defense (space policy), Washington, D.C.  Schulte previously served as foreign relations and defense policy manager (global strategic affairs), Washington, D.C.

Robert Salesses has been assigned as deputy assistant secretary of defense (homeland defense integration and defense support of civil authorities/chief of staff), Washington, D.C.  Salesses previously served as foreign relations and defense policy manager (homeland defense), Washington, D.C.

Robert Butler has been assigned as deputy assistant secretary of defense (cyber policy), Washington, D.C.  Butler previously served as deputy assistant secretary of defense (cyber and space policy), Washington, D.C. . . .

Brig. Gen. Samuel A. R. Greaves, vice commander, Space and Missile Systems Center, Air Force Space Command, Los Angeles Air Force Base, Calif., to director of plans, programs and analyses, Headquarters Air Force Space Command, Peterson Air Force Base, Colo.

Col. Roger W. Teague, who has been selected for the rank of brigadier general, commander, Space Based Infrared Systems Wing, Space and Missile Systems Center, Air Force Space Command, Los Angeles Air Force Base, Calif., to vice commander, Space and Missile Systems Center, Air Force Space Command, Los Angeles Air Force Base, Calif.

Col. Casey D. Blake, who has been selected for the rank of brigadier general, commander, Defense Contract Management Agency, Lockheed Martin Marietta, Marietta, Ga., to deputy commander, U.S. Central Command-Joint Theater Support Contracting Command, Afghanistan.