Admiral named to head Missile Defense Agency

Rear Adm. James Syring

Rear Adm. James Syring United States Navy

James Syring would be the first sailor to lead the agency.

The White House has tapped a Navy admiral to be the first sailor to head the U.S. Missile Defense Agency, Bloomberg reports.

Rear Adm. James Syring will replace the current director, U.S. Army Lt. Gen. Patrick O’Reilly, whose bullying behavior toward subordinates has hurt morale at the agency, according to a May 2 report by the Pentagon inspector general.

Syring has been nominated for promotion to vice admiral while serving as director of the MDA, according to a letter delivered Friday to the Senate Armed Services Committee from the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations.

The Senate panel will review the nomination next month when lawmakers return from August recess, and Syring then must be approved by the full Senate.