Biographies

Rob Soofer is the Former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Nuclear and Missile Defense Policy, supporting the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy and the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Strategy, Plans, and Capabilities by developing strategies, creating policies, and conducting oversight of national nuclear policy, treaty negotiations, and missile defense policy.

Rob was previously a Professional Staff Member and Republican staff lead for the Subcommittee on Strategic Forces of the Senate Armed Services Committee, with oversight responsibility for missile defense, nuclear forces, arms control, nonproliferation policy, U.S. Strategic Command, and Department of Energy nuclear weapons and non-proliferation activities. 

Between January 2009 and December 2012 he served as strategic forces policy advisor to Senator Jon Kyl, the Republican Whip.  In this capacity, he was a senior advisor to the Republican caucus during Senate consideration of the 2010 New START Treaty.  Rob also served as a Military Legislative Assistant to Senator Slade Gorton (R-WA) and as Professional Staff Member on the Senate Republican Policy Committee.  

Executive branch experience includes: Deputy Director, Office of Missile Defense Policy (Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy); Professor of National Security Policy at the National War College; and various policy positions with the Strategic Defense Initiative Organization/Missile Defense Agency.  In 2003, he was called to active duty as a Lieutenant Commander in the Naval Reserve and assigned to the newly created Terrorist Threat Integration Center.  

Rob received his Doctorate in International Relations from the University of Southern California (1987) and is a graduate of the National War College (1994).  He received the Department of Defense Exceptional Civilian Service Medal and is the author of Missile Defenses and Western European Security (Greenwood Press, 1988).