Bob Hale, DoD Under Secretary (Comptroller) since 2009, has announced that he will step down.  Hale told his staff that he will serve until his successor has been confirmed.

The House White has announced the president intends to nominate Mike McCord, current Principal Deputy Under Secretary of Defense (Comptroller), to replace Hale.

Hale has served three Secretaries of Defense: Bob Gates, Leon Panetta, and Chuck Hagel. During his tenure, he has overseen the preparation and execution of the defense budget in a very uncertain and unstable fiscal and budgetary environment. Hale and his staff have had to deal with long-term continuing resolutions, significant funding reductions through sequestration, civilian employee furloughs, and a government shutdown.

He has been directly involved in departmental reorganizations, efficiencies reductions, and process reforms as DoD has sought to assure the necessary funding support for continuing overseas contingency operations, while addressing lower levels of resources available to defense.

Hale also led DoD efforts to implement significant financial management reforms, including efforts to prepare for a department-wide audit.

Prior to becoming DoD Comptroller, Hale served as Executive Director of the American Society of Military Comptrollers (ASMC). From 1994 to 2001 Hale was the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force (Financial Management and Comptroller). Before that he directed the National Security Division of the Congressional Budget Office.

McCord has been Hale’s principal deputy since 2009. Prior to that, he served as a professional staff member of the Senate Armed Services Committee for 21 years. He also was a budget analyst on defense and veterans issues for the House Budget Committee. He began his career as a military personnel analyst for the Congressional Budget Office.