Retired Major General Has 35 Years Experience In The
Intelligence Field
President Barack Obama announced
Monday he intends to nominate Major General Robert A. Harding, U.S.
Army (Retired), as Assistant Secretary for the Department of
Homeland Security (TSA).
President Obama said, “I am confident that Bob’s
talent and expertise will make him a tremendous asset in our
ongoing efforts to bolster security and screening measures at our
airports. I can think of no one more qualified than Bob to take on
this important job, and I look forward to working with him in the
months and years ahead.”
According to a White House news release, Major General (Retired)
Robert A. Harding has spent over 35 years working in the
Intelligence Community, as a leader in both the military and the
private sectors. General Harding served as CEO of Harding
Security Associates (HSA), a company he founded in 2003 and sold in
July 2009. HSA’s workforce, of more than 400
professionals, provide subject matter expertise and strategic
security solutions to U.S. government agencies in the Intelligence
and Defense communities.
Before entering the private
sector, General Harding completed 33 years in the US Army, where he
served in progressively challenging command and staff
assignments. He retired as the Army’s Deputy G2
(Intelligence) in 2001. From 1996-2000, he was the Director
for Operations at the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA).
There, he was the Department of Defense’s senior Human
Intelligence (HUMINT) officer, managed over $1 billion in
intelligence collection program requirements and supervised and
provided security to the Department of Defense’s Defense
Attaches in more than 200 embassies/offices around the world.
From 1995-1996, General Harding served as the Director for
Intelligence for the Army’s U.S. Southern Command where he
planned and executed operations designed to increase regional
cooperation and exchanges in Latin America. He also
coordinated efforts between the DIA, DEA, FBI, CIA, and Customs on
sensitive interagency counter-drug operations. From
1969-1995, General Harding served in a variety of other command and
staff positions around the world. He commanded a HUMINT and
Counterintelligence Battalion in Korea, and the Army’s
premier Counterintelligence Group, the 902d, at Fort Meade.
His staff assignments included intelligence positions in U.S.
Forces Command, U.S. Forces Korea, U.S. Army Europe, U.S. Army
PERSCOM, and the Army Staff.
Major General Harding currently serves on the board of directors
of the Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts and the
Association of Former Intelligence Officers (AFIO). He has
served on the National Counterintelligence Review Group, on
DNI’s Diversity Senior Advisory Panel, and as a member of the
Obama Administrations Presidential Transition Team, where he
focused on the Intelligence community.
DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano applauded President Obama's
intent to nominate General Harding to the post.
"Effective transportation security involves protecting our
citizens from constantly evolving threats while facilitating legal
travel and trade around the country and throughout the world," said
Secretary Napolitano. "Bob's national security expertise and
extensive experience in the Intelligence Community and U.S. Army
will be a great asset to the Department in our efforts to ensure
the safety of the nation's transportation systems."
As TSA Assistant Secretary, Harding will leverage his extensive
national security and intelligence experience while overseeing
efforts to protect America's aviation network, railroads, ports and
mass transit systems, security operations for 450 federalized
airports throughout the nation, and the Federal Air Marshal Service
(FAMS).
In the first of what will likely be
a flood of reaction from the aviation community, Airports Council
International-North America (ACI-NA) President Greg Principato
issued the following statement:
"Aviation will benefit from General
Harding's extensive career in Intelligence. Airports have long
advocated that Intelligence must be the cornerstone of effective
aviation security. After confirmation by the Senate, the airport
industry and ACI-NA look forward to working with him in our ongoing
effort to ensure the safety and security of the traveling
public."