Defense Secretary James N. Mattis today swore in John H. Gibson II as the department's chief management officer, hailing him as the right person to lead the effort in reforming the department for improved efficiency.
“You have a truly unique role as the first chief management officer in the history of the Department of Defense,” Mattis said at the Pentagon ceremony.
The chief management officer is third for authority at the Defense Department. The position was created in the 2017 National Defense Authorization Act.
Mattis explained Gibson will spearhead efforts to support the third line of effort in the National Defense Strategy: reforming the department for efficiency, capability and affordability.
Success in the first two lines of effort – increasing lethality and strengthening alliances – depends on whether the department can perform better, the secretary noted.
The practices of the department are not set in stone, Mattis said, further explaining he expects Gibson to reform any practice that does not increase lethality or strengthen international partnerships.
Gibson will be a trailblazer in the effort to spend wisely every dollar entrusted to the department by Congress and the American people, Mattis said.
“We need you to set a precedent in this job that's so faultless — that no successor could dream of…
