Reitinger's departure was not unexpected

Philip Reitinger, the Homeland Security Department's lead computer security official, checked off key tasks on DHS' to-do list before settling on June 3 as the date he will step aside to spend the summer with his young children, say sources familiar with his thinking.

Besides negotiating new authorities for DHS in far-reaching cybersecurity legislation that the White House sent to Congress last week, he helped nearly triple the department's cyber staff in 2009 and then nearly doubled the size of that workforce in 2010. And a couple of months ago, Reitinger published a thought paper that envisions an Internet ecosystem where participants -- governments, organizations, consumers and inanimate devices -- are able to collaborate simultaneously on fending off intruders.

Given Reitinger's influence, some were curious as to why the Obama administration would let the powerhouse get away. According to internal emails obtained by Nextgov, senior officials knew Reitinger, deputy undersecretary for Homeland Security's National Protection and Programs Directorate, would leave around this time and already had devised a contingency plan.

"His leadership, intellectual rigor, enthusiasm and commitment to the mission and the people of NPPD have been a central feature in making our organization better," Directorate Undersecretary Rand Beers wrote in an email to employees on Wednesday. "But we all move on eventually and organizations have to adapt."

Although Reitinger is stepping down at a critical time for cybersecurity reform, senior DHS officials said they are confident the staff he helped cultivate will pick up where he left off in pushing the administration's strategy into law. The long-awaited proposed bill took a year to produce. In addition, before he goes, Reitinger is expected to testify at three hearings on the legislation, which, among other things, would permanently grant DHS oversight of cybersecurity operations within civilian federal agencies. The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee will begin examining the text at a hearing Monday.

Cybersecurity and Communications Assistant Secretary Greg Schaffer will replace Reitinger in the interim and Bobbie Stempfley, deputy assistant secretary for cybersecurity and communications, will fill Schaffer's position for the time being. They face the challenge of shepherding the DHS provisions through votes and ensuring appropriators preserve funding for cybersecurity operations and personnel as lawmakers juggle competing budget priorities. The U.S. cybersecurity workforce is understaffed by at least 20,000, according to one former intelligence officer.

The administration's proposal hews closely to the committee's own comprehensive measure in key areas, such as tapping Homeland Security to spearhead plans for safeguarding critical networks in industries like financial services and energy. But some suggestions -- to have private companies share information about vulnerabilities with DHS, for example -- are new.

Senate Committee Chairman Joe Lieberman, I-Conn., said in a statement that he has faith in the capabilities of the "deep bench" at the department, citing specifically Schaffer and Stempfley.

Reitinger told colleagues on Wednesday in an email obtained by Nextgov that he has no doubt they will achieve continued success.

"With growing recognition of DHS's roles and authorities, and the cybersecurity legislative proposal now delivered to the Hill, it's a logical point for me to leave the Department of Homeland Security and allow the team that we have developed together to carry our initiatives forward," he wrote. "As you know, I have young children and I have spent less time with them over the past few years than I would like. I intend to spend a lot of time with my family over the summer, and in the course of that decide how I can best play a role in advancing infrastructure protection and cybersecurity."