Robert Schmidle

Former Principal Deputy Director, OSD CAPE

Lieutenant General Schmidle is the University Advisor on Cyber Capabilities and Conflict Studies, a Professor of Practice in the School of Politics and Global Studies, and a Senior Fellow in the Center on the Future of War at Arizona State University, as well as Senior Fellow at the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments in Washington, DC.

He served as the first Deputy Commander of United States Cyber Command, the head of Marine Corps Aviation, and the Principal Deputy Director, Cost Assessment and Program Evaluation in the Office of the Secretary of Defense.

A graduate of the Naval Fighter Weapons School (TOPGUN), Lieutenant General Schmidle taught advanced fighter tactics for 35+ years. He deployed to Operation Desert Storm as the Executive Officer of VMFA-333, for which he received the Distinguished Flying Cross. He would subsequently command VMFA251 and VMFA-115.

Lieutenant General Schmidle has commanded the Special Purpose Marine Air Ground Task Force (Experimental), served as the Deputy Chief of Staff for the Office of the Secretary of Defense Quadrennial Defense Review Team, served as the Deputy Director for Resources and Acquisition in the Joint Staff J-8, commanded the First Marine Aircraft Wing, and led the Marine Corps Quadrennial Defense Review Team.

Lieutenant General Schmidle holds degrees from Drew University, American University, and Georgetown University. He is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, the National Security Agency Advisory Board, the British Wittgenstein Society. He also advises the Defense Innovation Unit.