Robert (Bob) L. Smolen is the deputy administrator for NNSA's Office of Defense Programs. He directs the Stockpile Stewardship Program (SSP), which is responsible for maintaining the safety, security, and reliability of the Nation's nuclear weapons stockpile. The NNSA's nuclear weapons complex includes three national research laboratories, the Nevada Test Site, and four production plants. This approximately $5.2 billion program, with over 25,000 people around the country, encompasses operations associated with manufacturing, maintaining, refurbishing, and dismantling the nuclear weapons stockpile. Defense Programs also provides oversight and direction of the research, development, and engineering support to maintain the safety and reliability of the nuclear weapons stockpile in the absence of underground testing, and assures the capability for maintaining the readiness to test and develop new warheads, if required.

Prior to his retirement in August 2007, he was commander of the Air Force District of Washington (AFDW), the Air Force component to the Joint Forces Headquarters-National Capital Region, organizing, training and equipping combat forces for the aerospace expeditionary forces, homeland operations, civil support, national special security events and ceremonial events. AFDW also provides Military Justice authority for more than 40,000 personnel and major command-level support for over 24,000 personnel worldwide.

His career included operational experience in both ground and airborne nuclear missile command and control. He served on the staff of the Secretary of Defense and was the Director of Manpower and Personnel on the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He twice served in the Office of the Secretary of the Air Force in the Office of Legislative Liaison on Capitol Hill - first in the House of Representatives and later in the Chief of the Senate office. While assigned to Air Force Headquarters in the Pentagon, he was both the Deputy and later the Director of the Air Force Office of Nuclear and Counterproliferation.

Throughout his military career, he commanded units at the squadron, group, wing, and Major Command levels at Air Force Space Command, Pacific Air Forces, Air Force Materiel Command, and Headquarters USAF. From 2004 to 2006, he was the Director, Strategic Capabilities Policy, Executive Office of the President, responsible for the development, coordination, and implementation of national security policies to support the President and the National Security Council. During this period, he also served as the senior ranking military officer on the White House complex.

His Bachelor's degree is in communications from Allegheny College in Meadville, Pennsylvania. He earned two advanced degrees, the first in public administration from the University of Oklahoma and a second in international relations from Auburn University. Additionally, he was a fellow in the Seminar XXI Program, Foreign Policy and the National Interest, at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the National and International Security Program at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.

He presently resides in Northern Virginia with his wife of over 33 years. They have three adult children.

Smolen was nominated by the President to be Deputy Administrator on July 31, 2007, and was confirmed by the Senate on November 16, 2007. He was sworn in on November 21, 2007.

Smolen Takes Oath of Office