John Plumb

 

Cmdr. John Plumb, a former White House military aide, spoke to the Rotary Club of Jamestown during its Nov. 16 meeting about the process used in making national security decisions. Plumb, a Chautauqua County native and Navy Reserve commander who holds a PhD in aerospace engineering, previously worked for the Pentagon as the Principal Director for Nuclear and Missile Defense Policy. He later worked at the White House as a staff member for the National Security Council. During his talk, Plumb outlined the hierarchy that governs national security decisions and how decisions move laterally or up the chain of command to the president. He acknowledged that, "from the outside looking in," the process and hierarchy look complicated, but stressed that "there is more continuity in national security policy and decision-making than most people realize."