On March 26, 2014 Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel made a formal announcement concerning his pick for Senior Adviser of Military Affairs at the Pentagon:
“Today I am announcing that Navy Rear Admiral Margaret “Peg” Klein will serve as my Senior Adviser for Military Professionalism, reporting directly to me on issues related to military ethics, character, and leadership.
I appreciate Rear Admiral Klein’s willingness to take on this new assignment. She brings to the position a wealth of operational and leadership experience, including command responsibilities at various levels throughout the Navy community. Having served as the 82nd Commandant of Midshipmen at the U.S. Naval Academy, she knows that ethics and character are absolute values that must be constantly reinforced.
Rear Admiral Klein will coordinate the actions of the Joint Staff, the Combatant Commands, and each of the military services – working directly with the Service Secretaries and the Service Chiefs – on DoD’s focus on ethics, character, and competence in all activities at every level of command with an uncompromising culture of accountability. This will continue to be a top priority for DoD’s senior leadership”, said Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel in a statement to his subordinate commanders.
Source: http://www.defense.gov/Releases/Release.aspx?ReleaseID=16599
Hagel’s announcement comes on the heels of numerous scandals, including cheating by senior level nuclear missile launch officers, and recent charges of wrongdoing by flag and general officers.
See article: Hagel: Cheating Scandals Sign of Ethics Problem. Read more here: http://www.military.com/daily-news/2014/02/05/hagel-cheating-scandals-sign-of-ethics-problem.html
See also: Trial Set to Begin for General Facing Sex Charges. Read more here:http://www.military.com/daily-news/2014/03/04/trial-set-to-begin-for-general-facing-sex-charges.html
See also: Army Sexual Assault Prevention Office Coordinator Accused of ‘Abusive Sexual Contact’. Read more here:http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/14/army-sexual-assault_n_3275941.html
Military records show Rear Admiral Klein was commissioned in May 1981 upon graduation from the U.S. Naval Academy. She earned her Master of Education from the University of Southern Maine in 1999. A naval flight officer, Klein’s operational assignments include multiple tours with the “Ironmen” of Fleet Air Reconnaissance Squadron Three; forward-deployed USS Kitty Hawk Battle Group Staff as N6 during Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom; and chief of staff for the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower Strike Group.
Command and leadership assignments include command of Fleet Air Reconnaissance Squadron Three; Commander, Task Force 124 and Strategic Communications Wing One; and 82nd Commandant of Midshipmen at the U.S. Naval Academy. She commanded forward-deployed Expeditionary Strike Group Five as well as Task Force 64 providing strike assets during Operation Odyssey Dawn.
Klein’s staff assignments include Naval Air Forces, U.S. Atlantic Fleet; Naval Military Personnel Command; White House Military Office; Brookings Legislative Fellow for Senator Olympia Snowe; operations director, Naval Network Warfare Command; and most recently as Chief of Staff, U.S. Cyber Command.
Klein currently serves as Chief of Staff, J5, on the Joint Staff.
Klein has over 4,500 flight hours in the EC-130 and the E-6. Her decorations include the Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Meritorious Service Medal, and other personal, unit, and campaign awards.