Nomination of Robert Clifton Duncan To Be Director of Defense Research and Engineering

October 2, 1987

The President today announced his intention to nominate Robert Clifton Duncan to be Director of Defense Research and Engineering, Department of Defense. He would succeed Donald Alden Hicks.

Since 1986 Mr. Duncan has been Assistant Secretary of Defense (Research and Technology) at the Pentagon, Washington, DC. Prior to this, he was vice president of engineering, 1975 - 1986, and assistant vice president, 1969 - 1975, at the Polaroid Corp. in Waltham, MA. Mr. Duncan was assistant director, NASA Electronics Research Center, Cambridge, MA, 1967 - 1968; Chief of the Guidance and Control Division at NASA's Manned Spacecraft Center, Houston, TX, 1964 - 1967; special assistant to the Director of Defense Research and Engineering in the Office of the Secretary of Defense, 1961 - 1963; and Chief, Space Programs Branch, Astronautics Development Division, Office of Chief of Naval Operations, Washington, DC, 1960 - 1961.

Mr. Duncan graduated from the United States Naval Academy (B.S., 1945), U.S. Naval Postgraduate School (B.S., 1953), and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (S.M., 1954; Sc.D., 1960). Mr. Duncan served in the United States Navy, 1945 - 1965. Mr. Duncan was born on November 21, 1923, in Jonesville, VA. He is married, has four children, and resides in Washington, DC.

Nomination of Fred S. Hoffman To Be an Assistant Secretary of Defense

October 2, 1987

The President announced his intention to nominate Fred S. Hoffman to be Assistant Secretary of Defense (Public Affairs), Department of Defense. He would succeed Robert B. Sims.

Since 1984 Mr. Hoffman has been Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs at the Pentagon, in Washington, DC. Prior to this, he was a reporter-editor with the Associated Press, 1949 - 1984. During Mr. Hoffman's years with the Associated Press, he received several citations and awards, including the Overseas Press Club Citation for reporting from Vietnam and the Veterans of Foreign Wars Gold Medal for national security reporting.

Mr. Hoffman attended Boston University. He served in the United States Army in 1943. Mr. Hoffman was born December 26, 1922, in Boston, MA. He is married, has one child, and resides in Alexandria, VA.