The President today announced his intention to nominate James Paul Wade, Jr., to be an Assistant Secretary of Defense (Development and Support). This is a new position.
Since 1968 Mr. Wade has been at the Department of Defense and is presently serving as Principal Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering. Previously he was Assistant to the Secretary for Atomic Energy in 1978-1981. In 1974-1977 he was Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Policy Plans and National Security Council Affairs and also was Director, Department of Defense Strategic Arms Limitation Talks (SALT) Task Force. Dr. Wade holds the Department of Defense Distinguished Civilian Service Medal and the Department of Defense Medal for Distinguished Public Service with Bronze Palm.
He graduated from the United States Military Academy (B.S., 1953) and the University of Virginia (M.S., 1959; Ph.D., 1961). He is married, has three children, and resides in Reston, VA. He was born December 26, 1930, in St. Louis, MO.
Ronald Reagan, Nomination of James Paul Wade, Jr., To Be an Assistant Secretary of Defense Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/260616