Stephen Anthony Cambone, born June 22, 1952, in Dallas, Texas, is an American political scientist and defense official. He earned a B.A. in 1974, an M.A. in 1977, and a Ph.D. in political science in 1986, all from The Catholic University of America. His early career included roles as a professional staff member for the Senate Armed Services Committee (1982-1984) and as a staffer for the House Armed Services Committee. Cambone held several senior positions in the U.S. government, including service at the National Security Agency, as Director of Strategic Programs in the Office of the Secretary of Defense, and as Principal Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Policy during the George W. Bush administration. He served as the first Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence, a key figure in the Rumsfeld Pentagon. Cambone became a prominent figure amid the Abu Ghraib prison abuse scandal in 2004, testifying before the Senate Armed Services Committee where he challenged Major General Antonio Taguba's assertion that military intelligence personnel effectively controlled prison guards and interrogators. He was linked to the neoconservative Project for the New American Century, contributing to its 2000 report 'Rebuilding America's Defenses' advocating military transformation. Following his resignation in January 2007, Cambone served as CEO of QinetiQ North America from 2007 to 2015, a subsidiary of the British defense contractor QinetiQ Group, and later held positions such as chairman of the FireEye board and advisor roles in defense consulting. No major legal convictions or ongoing investigations are documented, though his role in intelligence policy drew criticism for alleged involvement in detainee interrogation policies. Cambone's career reflects deep ties to U.S. defense and intelligence networks, with affiliations in think tanks like the Center for Strategic and International Studies.