    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1993, Book II)]
    [December 16, 1993]
    [Pages 2184-2185]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks Announcing the Nomination of Admiral Bobby R. Inman To Be
    Secretary of Defense
    December 16, 1993

        Ladies and gentlemen, yesterday I announced that Secretary Aspin
    would be stepping down as Secretary of Defense next month after a year
    of devoted service. I want to stress again how deeply grateful I am on
    behalf of all Americans for his hard work and his many unique
    contributions to the Pentagon and to our national defense.
        To ensure the greatest possible continuity, I wanted to announce a
    successor as soon as possible. So today, I am very pleased to announce
    my intent to nominate Admiral Bob Inman as the next Secretary of
    Defense.
        Admiral Inman was one of our Nation's highest ranking and most
    respected military officers. He was a four-star admiral whose career in
    the Navy and in our intelligence community and in private business has
    won him praise from both Democrats and Republicans who admire his
    intellect, his integrity, and his leadership ability.
        The Admiral's experience in serving our Nation is truly impressive.
    He personally briefed Presidents Eisenhower and Kennedy. He held senior
    positions under Presidents Ford, Carter, Reagan, and Bush. Former
    Secretary of Defense James Schlesinger called Admiral Inman ``a national
    asset.'' And I know he will be a national asset as Secretary of Defense.
        He brings to this job the kind of character all Americans respect.
    The son of a gas station owner in a small east Texas town, he rose to
    distinction and success on the basis of his brains, his talent, and his
    hard work. He finished high school at 15, graduated from college at 19,
    joined the Naval Reserve at 20, and then launched an impressive 31-year
    career in the Navy. He served on an aircraft carrier, two cruisers, and
    a destroyer as well as on onshore assignments as an analyst for naval
    intelligence. In 1976, at the age of 45, he became the youngest vice
    admiral in peacetime history. Bob Inman's stellar intelligence work
    caught the attention of many military and civilian leaders and prompted
    his elevation to several high posts in the intelligence community. He
    served as Vice Director of the Defense Intelligence Agency, Director of
    the National Security Agency, and Deputy Director of the Central
    Intelligence Agency. Because of his outstanding service, he was awarded
    the National Security Medal by President Carter.
        Over the past decade since Admiral Inman left Government, he served
    in a wide range of private sector positions, including CEO of two
    private sector electronics firms, Chairman of the Federal Reserve Bank
    of Dallas, and a teacher at his alma mater, the University of Texas.
    He's also served on 11 not-for-profit corporate boards. And in all these
    roles, Admiral Inman has established a reputation for penetrating
    analysis, strong leadership, and a rock-solid commitment to this
    Nation's security. Those qualities will serve our Nation well as the
    Admiral becomes our next Secretary of Defense.
        This is a time of great change in our world. We must build on the
    work Les Aspin began with a bottom-up review to ensure that we have the
    right forces and strategy for this new era. We must ensure that, even as
    we reduce force

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    levels, our military remains ready to fight and win on a moment's
    notice. We must ensure that our men and women in uniform remain the best
    trained, the best equipped, the best prepared fighting force on Earth.
    And we must maintain and build strong bipartisan support in the Congress
    and in the country for the foreign policy and national defense interests
    of our Nation.
        I am confident that Admiral Inman is the right leader to meet these
    demanding challenges. I am grateful that he's agreed to make the
    personal sacrifices necessary to return to full-time Government service
    and to accept this important assignment at this pivotal time in world
    events. I'm delighted that he will be joining our national security
    team, and I thank him for his service to the Nation.

    Note: The President spoke at 1:33 p.m. in the Rose Garden at the White
    House.