Pete Verga

Mr. Pete Verga retired from the government after over 54 years of combined military and federal civilian service. His position prior to retirement was Special Advisor to the Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence and Security where he provided advice, counsel, and executive assistance on a broad range of matters and served as the principal advisor for all compartmented activities. Additionally, since 2008 he served as the Special Assistant to the Secretary and Deputy Secretary of Defense for Compartmented Activities (SACA) examining issues and identifying opportunities across special access, compartmented, sensitive, and/or special activities to provide better support to the warfighter and maintain inter- and intra-governmental liaison regarding those activities. Prior to that, Mr. Verga served as Deputy Chief of Staff to Secretary of Defense James Mattis and Chief of Staff for Deputy Secretary of Defense David Norquist. That assignment followed duty as Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Homeland Defense and Global Security, advising on homeland defense, support to civil authorities, defense continuity and critical infrastructure, space, cyber, and countering weapons of mass destruction. Prior to that he was Defense Advisor to Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson, which followed duty as the Chief of Staff for the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy. From 2003 to 2008 he was Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Homeland Defense and Americas’ Security Affairs and a member of the Federal Emergency Management Agency National Advisory Council. Prior assignments included Director, Homeland Security Task Force, developing the DoD organizational concepts and strategy to respond to the 9-11-01 attacks; Deputy Under Secretary for Policy Integration, successfully negotiating the return of a US EP-3 Aircraft that made a forced landing in China in 2001; and Deputy Under Secretary for Policy Support. Born in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, Mr. Verga holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Public Administration from the University of La Verne, California, and a Master of Science degree in Public Administration from Troy State University, Alabama. He is a graduate of the United States Army Command and General Staff College and a guest lecturer at the Naval Postgraduate School and the Army War College. Mr. Verga was selected as a career member of the Senior Executive Service in 1998.

Mr. Verga is a retired US Army officer with over 26 years of service, including combat operations in Vietnam from 1969 to 1971. He is a member of the US Army Officer Candidate School Hall of Fame. Prior to retirement from active duty, he served in a range of positions including in the Operations Directorate of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, with reasonability for a variety of special and sensitive activities and interagency matters, and as Deputy Director of the Office of Emergency Operations of the White House Military Office and on the White House Staff advising on a broad range of matters including continuity of government and sensitive emergency plans and programs in direct support of the President.

Mr. Verga’s civilian awards include the Presidential Ranks of Distinguished Executive (twice) and Meritorious Executive, four Defense Distinguished Civilian Service Awards the Defense Meritorious Civilian Service Award and the Career Civilian Service Award. His military service awards included, among others; the Combat Infantryman’s Badge, Defense Superior Service Medal, the Legion of Merit, four Bronze Star medals, the Purple Heart, three Defense Meritorious Service Medals, 21 Air Medals, and the Presidential Service Badge.