▁race ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 6 . ▁Following ▁F lyn n ' s ▁loss , ▁Rog ers ▁was ▁t apped ▁to ▁be ▁a ▁st af fer ▁for ▁Congress man ▁Les ▁Asp in ▁( D - W is consin ) ▁in ▁which ▁he ▁held ▁the ▁positions ▁of ▁O mb ud s man ▁( D istrict ▁Director ) ▁and ▁Political ▁Director . ▁Rog ers ▁first ▁began ▁his ▁work ▁with ▁the ▁" m ixed ▁tables " ▁approach ▁to ▁problem ▁solving ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 1 ▁while ▁working ▁for ▁Congress man ▁Asp in . ▁Rog ers ▁was ▁also ▁the ▁Director ▁of ▁the ▁Senate ▁Democratic ▁C au cus ▁for ▁the ▁Wisconsin ▁State ▁Senate ▁from ▁ 1 9 8 9 ▁to ▁ 1 9 9 0 . ▁ ▁Department ▁of ▁Def ense ▁Following ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 2 ▁elections , ▁President ▁William ▁J . ▁Cl inton ▁appointed ▁Rog ers ▁to ▁the ▁post ▁of ▁Act ing ▁Princi pal ▁Deput y ▁Ass istant ▁Secretary ▁of ▁Def ense ▁for ▁Legisl ative ▁Affairs ▁and ▁later ▁Deput y ▁Ass istant ▁Secretary ▁( LA ) ▁Pl ans ▁and ▁Oper ations ▁at ▁the ▁Department ▁of ▁Def ense . ▁As ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁Secretary ▁of ▁Def ense ' s ▁inner ▁circle ▁he ▁assist ed ▁in ▁the ▁creation ▁of ▁strateg ies ▁and ▁tact ics ▁on ▁significant ▁defense ▁policies . ▁He ▁also ▁served ▁as ▁a ▁key ▁facil it ator ▁between ▁the ▁Department ▁of ▁Def ense , ▁the ▁White ▁House , ▁and ▁Congress ▁on ▁issues ▁such ▁as ▁military ▁base ▁clos ures , ▁military ▁base ▁re - use