Paul Cramer
Acting Assistant Secretary of Defense for Energy, Installations, and Environment
Paul D. Cramer received his undergraduate degree in civil engineering from South Dakota State University. He earned his M.S. in Engineering Management from the University of Missouri-Rolla and is a licensed professional engineer in the Commonwealth of Virginia.
Cramer brings a wealth of experience to the Senior Executive Service, having served in numerous positions of increasing responsibility within the Army. For three years, he was responsible for Construction, Housing, and Base Operation issues at the Army Secretariat level and served as Acting DASA (IH&P) for nearly two years.
His previous positions include Director of Public Works, Ft. Irwin, CA; Director of Public Works, Ft. Polk, LA; Chief of Public Works, Installation Management Command, Korea-Region; and Deputy Garrison Commander, US Army Garrison, Yongsan, Korea.
In 2013, he was named Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army (Installations, Housings, and Partnerships). In September 2020, Cramer was selected as the Principal Deputy of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Sustainment. He presently is the Acting Assistant Secretary of Defense for Energy, Installation, and Environment.
In the News…
In a memo, the Pentagon’s Acting Assistant Secretary of Defense for Energy, Installations, and Environment, Paul Cramer, said the military would issue a “temporary prohibition” on the incineration of per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) until it formally issues guidance on how to dispose of the toxic substances.
“Because the DOD has not yet finalized the guidance required… DOD must immediately discontinue contracting activities for the incineration of any PFAS material” including firefighting foam, he wrote.
PFAS are a class of chemicals, some of which have been linked to cancers and other illnesses. They have been used in a variety of household products such as waterproof apparel and nonstick pans and also have been used in military firefighting foam. They are sometimes referred to as “forever chemicals” because they tend to linger both in the human body and the environment.
