Bruce Axelrod

Bruce Axelrod
Deputy Secretary of National Security
In office July 10, 2021 – 2023
President	Deborah Van Roose
Preceded by	Position created
Director of the DSS
In office December 2020 – 2023
President	Deborah Van Roose
Preceded by	William Patton
Under Secretary of Foreign Affairs for Defence
In office 1986–1996
President	Robert Conover
Preceded by	Robert McCoy
Succeeded by	Edmund Wilkinson
Personal details
Born	Bruce Richard Axelrod 1946
Political party	United Party
Other political affiliations	Liberal (1965-1967)
Spouse	Maryanne Axelrod (neé Lincoln)
Children	2
Parents	Richard Axelrod (father) Sarah Axelrod (neé Cheney) (mother)
Relatives	Pres. Herbert Walker-Busch (2nd Cousin)
Alma mater	University of Vandergart at Felderling
Military service
Allegiance	Delamaria
Branch/service	Delamarian Army
Years of service	1967-1978
Rank	Sargent
Unit	2nd Observation Unit
Battles/wars	Second Argic War
Awards	Armed Service Medal Achievement in Intelligence Medal Clandestine Operations Star Valour in Battle 1st Class Sacrifice Award

Bruce Axelrod is a Delamarian government official and intelligence officer, who served as Deputy Secretary of National Security and Director of the Delamarian Security Service. He has served in Army intelligence from 1967 to 1978 and in the DSS since 1980. He has served as Director of Regional Affairs, Director of Counterterrorism and Director of Domestic Operations at the DSS and was appointed Deputy Director in 2012, under then DSS director William Patton, and rose to be director in 2020 when Patton was appointed Vice President of Delamaria.

Early life and military service

Axelrod was born in Kallister in 1946 to then Lt. Governor Richard Axelrod and Sarah Cheney Axelrod, cousin of Rebecca Cheney Walker, the mother of President of Delamaria Herbert Walker-Busch. His father, a prominent state politician, was the son of Anglian immigrants, and would go on to run for Governor of Kallister when Bruce was 2. He would lose the election by a slim margin after it became known that Axelrod's superior, Governor Chris Hans, was accepting bribes on behalf of Cogoil to allow them to drill in protected lands. Instead, he ran for the House of Delegates, and served as a delegate until he retired in 1978. Axelrod's father was key in influencing him into working in public service, and after graduating from the University of Vandergart in Felderling he joined Delamarian Army Intelligence in the 2nd Observation Unit. After 11 years in the army, and achieving the position of Sergeant, Axelrod was recruited by the DSS as an intelligence officer. Little is known about Axelrod's undercover work, but in an interview in 2011 he stated that he worked in Europa and later Alharu.

Career

Axelrod then served as an advisor to the Secretary of Defence and later Secretary of Foreign Affairs, where he became familiar with politics and the public face of government. In 1986 he was appointed Under Secretary of Foreign Affairs for Defence,by President Conover, the position granted him a high rank within the Foreign Affairs Department as well as significant power within the Department of Defence. Axelrod quickly took to promoting Delamarian intrests, specifically those of his good friends in the DSS. Axelrod held weekly meetings with the DSS director to discuss foreign affairs and opportunities for Delamaria. Axelrod was briefly considered a candidate for Governor of Kallister and later a Senator, however Axelrod preferred bureaucracy to domestic politics.

Axelrod with President Robert Conover.

As Under Secretary, Axelrod wielded his power to push his ideas and opinions through, despite being a junior member of the government he was held in high regard by the President which led to Foreign Affairs secretary Edward Carter often being overlooked. Within the Foreign Affairs Department Axelrod was treated as though he was the secretary, and often recieved information and dealt with matters long before Carter. This annoyed Carter however he was embroiled in scandal, and therefore was forced to leave the management of the Department to Axelrod.

Director of Intelligence

Axelrod meeting with $Name.

During the Presidency of James Leckhampstead Sr. Axelrod was considered to be a potential Secretary of Foreign Affairs or Defence, however the President decided to make Axelrod the first Director of Delamarian Intelligence, a position with oversight of all of the nation's foreign and domestic intelligence services. In this position Axelrod increased communication between the agencies, and formed a powerful survaillance apperatus from the organisations. Axelrod reportedly lobbied for a massive increase in defence spending, and gained support from across the aisle.

Under President George Cafferty Axelrod remained as DDI, though a member of the United Party Axelrod was of great resource to national defence. Axelrod took this opportunity to embed himself within several departments to increase his oversight. According to a 2001 report, Axelrod maintained offices in the DSS Building, the Commonwealth Congress Building, the Foreign Affairs Department, the Landstadt Building, Pritchett House, Satterlee Air and Naval Base, Natural Resources Department, the Energy Department and the Vice Presidential Residence. Axelrod according to many staffers at the time, seemed to be "everywhere all the time", Axelrod was often ahead of the President in recieving news, and directed many operations with executive authority.

Resignation

In 2005 Axelrod faced scrutiny after the Assassinations Scandal, whereby several percieved threats to Delamarian security were killed by DSS agents, without warrants. President George Cafferty, having approved the use of force without proper authorisation was forced to resign, and Axelrod was made to testify before several Congressional committees. Axelrod was not found guilty of any charge, though newly sworn in President Gerard Severnson later forced Axelrod to resign.

From 2005 to 2012 Axelrod served as a board member of Conover, and frequently wrote columns in newspapers. In 2012 Axelrod was chosen as Deputy Director of the DSS by President Herbert Walker-Busch, serving under Director William Patton.

Reappointment

In 2020 following the November 22nd Attacks Axelrod again made Director, as Patton was sworn in as Vice President. Later in 2021 Axelrod was made Deputy Secretary of the National Security Department while still retaining his directorship of the DSS.