Biographies

Michael L. Bruhn, a member of the senior executive service (SES), is the Vice Director for Mission Integration for the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) located on Fort Belvoir, Virginia. The DTRA mission is to safeguard the U.S. and its allies from weapons of mass destruction (WMD), specifically chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and high-yield explosive threats, and improvised threats by providing the means to prevent and counter the proliferation of WMD and improvised threats and to reduce, eliminate, and mitigate their effects. This includes helping ensure the U.S. maintains a safe, secure, effective and credible nuclear weapons deterrent. As the DoD Combat Support Agency for the Counter WMD and improvised threats mission, DTRA develops and provides operational support for associated capabilities to warfighters worldwide.

Prior to his current assignment, Mr. Bruhn was appointed as the Executive Secretary of the Department of Defense by Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates on April 25, 2010, and served under five Secretaries to include the Honorable Leon E. Panetta, Charles “Chuck” T. Hagel,  Dr. Ashton B. Carter, and James N. Mattis.

Before becoming the Executive Secretary, he served as the Deputy Director for both the Special Access Program Central Office in the Office of the Secretary of Defense, and the Special Programs Directorate in the Office of the Under Secretary for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics (USD(AT&L)). He was appointed to the Senior Executive Service by Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld on January 8, 2006.

He served as the Director of Operations for the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics from May 2003 to December 2005. He transitioned to that position when he retired as a Colonel from a 23 year career in the United States Army. While on active duty he served in numerous field and joint duty assignments in and outside of the Pentagon to include Military Assistant to the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics; Chief, Commander-In-Chief Assessment Program, Ballistic Missile Defense Agency; Patriot Air And Missile Defense Battalion Commander, 5th Battalion, 52nd Regiment, 11th Air Defense Artillery Brigade; Strategy Team Chief, Center For Land Warfare, Office of the Assistant to the Vice Chief Of Staff of the Army; Staff Officer for the National Defense Panel, Program Analyst in Program Analysis and Evaluation Directorate for both the Army and the Office of the Secretary of Defense; and Associate Professor, Department of Physics, United States Military Academy, West Point.

Mr. Bruhn received his Bachelor of Science from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1981 and his Master of Science in Nuclear Engineering from the University of California at Berkeley in 1988. He is Level III certified in acquisition program management under the Defense Acquisition Workforce Improvement Act and is a member of the Defense Acquisition Corps.

Mr. Bruhn’s civilian and military awards include the Secretary of Defense Distinguished Civilian Service Award (Silver Palm), Secretary of Defense Meritorious Civilian Service Medal (Bronze Palm), Office of the Secretary of Defense Exceptional Civilian Service Medal, Defense Superior Service Medal, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal (4th Oak Leaf Cluster (OLC)), Joint Service Commendation Medal (1st OLC), Army Commendation Medal (1st OLC), Joint Service Achievement Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Joint Meritorious Unit Award (1st OLC).