John Scott Redd

John Scott Redd (born September 10, 1944) was a vice admiral of the United States Navy, and afterward the first Senate-confirmed Director of the National Counterterrorism Center, serving from 2005 until 2007. According to David Martin at the CBS Evening News, "Scott Redd may be the most important person you've never heard of." J.J. Green at Federal News Radio referred to Redd as "the man that I often call "E.F. Hutton". He is also the past President of the Naval Academy Class of 1966 and has served on the advisory boards of several non-profit organizations. An avid amateur radio operator, Redd has won seven world championships.

Naval career
Redd was born in Sidney, Iowa, and graduated from the United States Naval Academy in the class of 1966. A Trident Scholar, he majored in mathematics and physics. Following graduation, he studied as a Fulbright Scholar in Uruguay and as a Burke Scholar, receiving a Master of Science degree in Operations Analysis from the Naval Postgraduate School. He also attended the Program for Senior Executives at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

During his 36 years of active duty service he commanded eight organizations and served in several senior policy positions in the Pentagon. In 1995, he founded the only new U.S. Navy Fleet in half a century, serving as the first Commander, Fifth Fleet (COMFIFTHFLT) since World War II. His last assignment on active duty was as Director of Strategic Plans and Policy (DJ-5) on the Joint Staff. Redd retired from active military service in 1998.

Post-Navy career
Following his retirement from the Navy he served as CEO of NetSchools Corp., a high-tech start-up company in the education sector, headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia.

In early 2004 Redd was appointed deputy administrator and chief operating officer of the Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA) in Baghdad, Iraq. Redd, was one of two deputy administrators reporting to L. Paul Bremer, and directed programs for the reconstruction of Iraq's infrastructure. He was also responsible for policy affecting Iraq's security programs, including the new Iraqi Army, the Iraqi Civil Defense Corps, Iraqi Border Patrol and Facilities Protection Services.

Redd then served as Executive Director for the Commission on the Intelligence Capabilities of the United States Regarding Weapons of Mass Destruction, sometimes known as the WMD Intelligence Commission. The Commission's report was adopted as the President's blueprint for implementation of Intelligence Community reform.

From August 1, 2005, Redd served as Director of the National Counterterrorism Center. The NCTC has two core missions; to serve as the primary organization in the U.S. Government for analysis and integration of all terrorism intelligence, and to conduct strategic operational planning for counterterrorism activities integrating all elements of U.S. national power.

In a letter to the Intelligence Community dated 17 October 2007, Redd announced his intention to step down as Director of the NCTC, effective 10 November 2007. He cited medical concerns and the desire to spend more time with his family as reasons for his resignation.

However, some speculated he was forced out over comments he had made about the Iraq War. Asked by a reporter if the War had made the United States safer, Redd replied, "tactically, probably not." And when asked if the War constitutes a "giant recruiting tool" for terrorists, he replied, "In the short term, that is probably true. But the question is you've got to look at this, I believe, in the long term strategic view."

However, this speculation by the blogosphere, which was erroneously repeated by Newsweek four months later, doesn't square with Redd's comments about the war on terror that were made throughout, and after, his tenure at NCTC.

A spokesman disputed this liberal speculation and said that Redd, 63, needed to have both of his knees replaced, which would require a long period of rehabilitation during which he could not work. NCTC spokesman Carl Kropf said Redd's decision to leave was "absolutely not" related to his comments, and that he had not been pressured in any way to step down. In a statement released on October 17, 2007, Director of National Intelligence Mike McConnell thanked Redd for his service. "I know his decision to step down was difficult," McConnell said. A spokesman for his office said there was "no pressure whatsoever" on Redd to resign.

Awards
On June 13, 2006, the Fremont County Board of Supervisors resolved to name the new bypass highway around Sidney, Iowa, the "Admiral Scott Redd Highway" in his honor. Dedication ceremonies were held on October 5, 2007..

On November 9, 2007, Director of National Intelligence Mike McConnell awarded Redd the National Intelligence Distinguished Service Medal for his exceptional contributions to the Intelligence Community and defense of the nation.

Redd was awarded the National Security Medal by President George W. Bush at a White House ceremony on January 16, 2009. Redd was recognized by the President for "his more than 40 years of exceptional service to the Nation strengthening its intelligence capabilities and improving national security."

Amateur radio
On May 16, 2008, Redd was inducted into the CQ Amateur Radio Hall of Fame, which honors those individuals, whether licensed hams or not, who have made significant contributions to amateur radio; and those amateurs who have made significant contributions either to amateur radio, to their professional careers or to some other aspect of life on our planet.

In August 2009, Redd "became perhaps the only person ever to win single-op world championships in all six major ham radio DX contests.", said CQWW Contest Director Bob Cox, K3EST, in announcing the results, which were published in the September issue of CQ magazine. Redd, operating from Mexico as XE1IIJ in the early 1970s, won single-op world championships in the CQWW Phone Contest, the ARRL DX Phone and CW Contests and the CQ WPX Phone Contest. Thirty years later, when his professional life permitted a little more hamming time, Scott added the WPX CW crown as P41P, operating from P43P's station in Aruba, in 2002. The only prize that eluded him—until now—was the CQWW CW.