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Tom Lamont - Obama in Illinois

Tom Lamont had a multifaceted career in a law, government administration, politics and the Illinois National Guard from the 1970s through the mid 2000s. In the 1990s he served on the University of Illinois Board of Trustees. In 2009 he became the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Manpower and Reserve Affairs, taking on wide-ranging duties where he dealt with some of the most momentous and controversial issues of the President Obama administration, all while the nation fought two wars. Issues he dealt with included repealing 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell,' the integration of women into combat positions, and recruiting and retention challenges, complicated by the era's serious budget constraints.

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Abstract

Interview Excerpt (Audio)

Becoming Assistant Secretary of the Army

Full Interview


Photos

Caption
Tom Lamont, fourth from the right, was one of many Pentagon staffers who attended a Rose Garden ceremony in 2009 where President Obama was also present. Army Vice Chief of Staff Peter Chiarelli stands next to Lamont.

Where:
Washington, D.C.

When:
2009

Ownership:
This image is considered to be in the public domain.

Caption
Lamont only rarely visited the White House during his tenure at the Pentagon. He was attending a business meeting on how to achieve efficiencies in government with several other agency representatives in 2011.

Where:
Washington, D.C.

When:
2011

Ownership:
This image is considered to be in the public domain.

Caption
Tom and Bridget Lamont attended President Barack Obama’s second inauguration in Washington, D.C. in January 2013.

Where:
Washington, D.C.

When:
January 2013

Ownership:
Narrator's Photo



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