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."

FMI: www.tsa.gov, www.dhs.gov, www.aci-na.org