Deputy Director of DSCA Retires - Security Assistance Community - Brief Article

DISAM Journal, Fall, 2001

On 16 August 2001, DSCA's deputy director, Bob Keltz, retired in an unusual double ceremony that also marked the retirement from federal service of his wife, Mary Lou McHugh, Assistant Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Transportation Policy. DSCA Director, Lieutenant General Tome Walters, presided over the ceremony. "Bob is a true professional, and he will be missed," said General Walters. "All of us who worked with him know him to have a sharp mind and a wonderful sense of humor. He has a gift for bringing people together, even while working on the thorniest problems."

Bob Keltz was born in Pittsburgh, Pensylvania and attended Colorado State University where he was awarded a Bachelor of Science degree in sociology in 1968 and was commissioned a second lieutenant in the United States Army. He subsequently completed a Master of Education degree in 1970 and came on active duty in August of that year as a first lieutenant in the Transportation Corps. After six years of service with the 4th Transportation Brigade in Oberursel, Germany, he left the Army and joined the civil service where he served in various transportation billets in the Military Sealift Command, the Military Traffic Management Command, and the Army Materiel Command. In 1984, Keltz was selected for the Senior Executive Service and became the first SES Assistant Director for Transportation, Transportation, Energy and Troop Support Directorate, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Logistics, United States Army. He served as Director, U.S. Army Strategic Logistics Agency from July 1990 to July 1992, then Principa l Deputy for Logistics, Headquarters, U.S. Army Materiel Command until March 1997. He then assumed the position of Director of International Development and Security Assistance, Office of the Deputy Under Secretary of the Army, International Affairs until his appointment in September 1998 as Deputy Director, Defense Security Cooperation Agency.

During his career, Bob completed the Transportation Officer Basic Course, the program at the Federal Executive Institute, and he is a graduate of the Industrial College of the Armed Forces.

Keltz has received honors and awards including the Senior Executive Service Presidential Rank Awards of both Distinguished and Meritorious Executive, two awards of the Secretary of the Army Decoration for Exceptional Civilian Service, the Secretary of Defense Medal for Meritorious Civilian Service, the National Defense Transportation Association President's Award, designation as a Distinguished Member of the Army's Transportation Regiment, the Army Meritorious Service Medal, the Army Commendation Medal, and membership in Phi Kappa Phi.

Keltz plans a second career representing Sikorsky Helicopters in East Asia.

The entire security cooperation community fondly wishes Bob Keltz all the best in his future endeavors.