Department of Defense: Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy

Ambassador Alexander R. Vershbow was confirmed by the U.S. Senate as the Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs on April 3rd, 2009. In this capacity, he is the principal advisor to the Secretary of Defense on the formulation and coordination of international security strategy and policy for East Asia, South Asia, the Middle East and Persian Gulf, Africa, and Latin America. [ Read Bio ]

The Honorable Wallace “Chip” Gregson was sworn in as the Assistant Secretary of Defense, Asian and Pacific Security Affairs May 13, 2009. From 2006 until assuming the duties of Assistant Secretary of Defense, Lieutenant General Gregson (USMC, Retired) was owner and president of WCG & Associates International, a foreign policy and military affairs consulting organization.

Previously General Gregson served as Chief Operating Officer for the United States Olympic Committee. From 2003 to 2005, he was Commanding General of the Marine Corps Forces Pacific and Marine Corps Forces Central Command, where he led and managed over 70,000 Marines and Sailors in the Middle East, Afghanistan, East Africa, Asia and the United States. [ Read Bio ]

Assistant Secretary of Defense for Homeland Defense and Americas’ Security Affairs

Paul N. Stockton was nominated by President Barack Obama to be the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Homeland Defense and Americas’ Security Affairs on April 28, 2009, and confirmed by the Senate on May 18, 2009. In this position, he is responsible for the supervision of homeland defense activities, defense support of civil authorities, and Western Hemisphere security affairs for the Department of Defense.

Assistant Secretary Stockton received a bachelor's degree from Dartmouth College in 1976 and a doctorate in government from Harvard in 1986. From 1986-1989, Assistant Secretary Stockton served as legislative assistant to Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan, advising the senator on defense, intelligence, counter-narcotics policy, and served as the senator’s personal representative to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. [ Read Bio ]

Michael Nacht assumed his duties as Assistant Secretary of Defense for Global Strategic Affairs (GSA) on May 18, 2009, after his nomination was confirmed by the US Senate by unanimous consent. GSA is a newly configured directorate in OSD (Office of the Secretary of Defense) that develops policy for the Secretary on countering weapons of mass destruction, nuclear forces and missile defense, cyber security and space policy. [ Read Bio ]

Assistant Secretary of Defense for
Special Operations / Low Intensity Conflict & Interdependent Capabilities

Michael G. (“Mike”) Vickers was first nominated as Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations/Low-Intensity Conflict & Interdependent Capabilities by President Bush on April 4, 2007, and was unanimously confirmed by the U.S. Senate on July 23, 2007. President Obama announced on February 26, 2009, that Mr. Vickers would continue to serve as ASD (SO/LIC&IC). [ Read Bio ]

Mr. Peter F. ("Pete") Verga has been confirmed as the Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Integration, and Chief of Staff. Previously, he was the acting Principal Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Policy where he provided advice and assistance to the Secretary of Defense, Deputy Secretary, and Under Secretary of Defense for Policy on national security policy, military strategy, and defense policy. Concurrent with that duty, Mr. Verga retained his position as the principal assistant and advisor to the Assistant Secretary of Defense on matters related to the overall supervision of the homeland defense activities of the Department of Defense and regional security matters for the countries of the Western Hemisphere. [ Read Bio ]

Kathleen Hicks was appointed as the Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Strategy, Plans, and Forces in February, 2009. Ms. Hicks is responsible for advising the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy and the Secretary of Defense on all matters pertaining to the development of U.S. national security and defense strategy. She oversees the strategic guidance development, review, and assessment for military contingency plans and the plans for the day-to-day military activities of Combatant Commanders. In addition, Ms. Hicks leads Policy’s efforts to provide strategic guidance and implementation oversight to the Department’s planning, programming, and budgeting process as well as various force development, force management, and corporate support processes. This includes the integrated assessment of U.S. military posture, force structure, and associated defense activities and capabilities. [ Read Bio ]

Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs

Joseph McMillan, a career member of the Senior Executive Service, was appointed Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs (ISA) on April 13, 2009. As such, he is a principal adviser to the Secretary of Defense in the formulation, coordination, and implementation of strategy and policy involving Africa, Europe and NATO, the Middle East, and most of the former Soviet Union. [ Read Bio ]

Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense Asian & Pacific Security Affairs

Derek J. Mitchell is Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense, Asian and Pacific Security Affairs. Until April 2009, Mr. Mitchell served as senior fellow and director for the Asia Division of the International Security Program (ISP), Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), having joined the Center in January 2001. He concurrently served as director of the CSIS Southeast Asia Initiative, which was inaugurated in January 2008 and is the Center’s first dedicated program to the study of Southeast Asian affairs. [ Read Bio ]

Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Homeland Defense & Americas' Security Affairs

Ms. Christine E. Wormuth is the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Homeland Defense and Americas’ Security Affairs. As Principal Deputy, she advises the Assistant Secretary of Defense on the homeland defense activities of the Department and regional security matters for the countries of the Western Hemisphere. In addition, she is responsible for management of the Department’s participation in interagency activities concerning homeland security and relations with the Department of Homeland Security. [ Read Bio ]

Ken Handelman was assigned as Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Global Strategic Affairs (GSA) in April 2009. In this capacity he supports the Assistant Secretary for GSA in overseeing policy development and execution in the areas of combating Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD), U.S. nuclear weapons, missile defense, and DoD space and cyber activities. [ Read Bio ]

Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense,
Special Operations/Low-Intensity and Interdependent Capabilities

Mr. Martinage assists the ASD (SO/LIC&IC) on the operational employment and capabilities of special operations forces. He also assists the ASD on counterterrorism, irregular warfare, counternarcotics, and special activities. In his Interdependent Capabilities role, he is currently serving on the Analysis and Integration Cell for the 2009 Quadrennial Defense Review and also provides senior-level advice on ongoing program reviews. [ Read Bio ]

Dr. Colin Kahl is Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for the Middle East. Dr. Kahl is on a two-year public service leave from Georgetown University, where he is a professor in the Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service focusing on international security, American foreign policy in the Middle East, and terrorism.

Prior to joining the Department, he was also a Senior Fellow at the Center for a New American Security, a Washington based think tank. He has published widely on U.S. military operations and strategy in Iraq, including articles in Foreign Affairs, Foreign Policy, International Security, the Los Angeles Times, Middle East Policy, the National Interest, and the New York Times. [ Read Bio ]

Ambassador Vicki Huddleston is the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Africa in the Office of the Secretary of Defense. She is a former Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Africa and a four time Chief of United States Missions in Latin America and Africa. She was U.S. Ambassador to Madagascar and Mali and acting Ambassador in Ethiopia. She was Chief of Mission at the United States Interests Section in Havana and Director and Deputy Director of Cuban Affairs at the Department of State. Prior to joining the Department of Defense she was a Visiting Scholar at Brookings Institution. [ Read Bio ]

James J. Townsend Jr. (Jim) is Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for European and NATO Policy, responsible for managing the day-to-day defense relationship between the United States, NATO, the EU and the nations of Europe.

Before taking up his current position, Jim was a Vice President of the Atlantic Council of the United States and Director of the Council’s Program on International Security. In this position, he strengthened the Council’s voice and impact on transatlantic security and defense issues, making the Atlantic Council a leading player in shaping the Euro-Atlantic defense agenda. [ Read Bio ]

A Professor in the School of International Service at American University, Dr Wallander is currently serving in the Office of the Undersecretary of Defense for Policy as the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Russia/Ukraine/Eurasia. Previously, she served as a visiting professor at Georgetown University (2006-2008), Director and Senior Fellow of the Russia and Eurasia Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (2001-2006), Senior Fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations in Washington, D.C. (2000-2001), and professor of Government at Harvard University (1989-2000). She is the founder of the Program on New Approaches to Russian Security and the Eurasian Strategy Project. [ Read Bio ]

Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Asian & Pacific Security Affairs, East Asia

Michael Schiffer is the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for East Asia in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Asian and Pacific Security Affairs. Mr. Schiffer came to the Office of the Secretary of Defense in April of 2009 from the Stanley Foundation where he was a program officer in Policy Analysis and Dialogue responsible for the foundation's Asia programs as well as a range of other US national and global security issues from 2006-2009. From 2004-2005 he was a Council on Foreign Relations Hitachi International Affairs Fellow in Japan. [ Read Bio ]

Mr. Robert Scher is the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for South and Southeast Asia within the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Asian and Pacific Security Affairs.

In this capacity, DASD Scher serves as the principal advisor to senior leadership within the Department of Defense for all policy matters pertaining to strategies and plans including interagency venues for international strategy development and implementation. Mr. Scher's area of responsibility includes bilateral security relations with India and all other South Asian countries, excepting Afghanistan and Pakistan; the nations of Southeast Asia, plus Australia, East Timor, New Zealand, and the Pacific Island States. [ Read Bio ]

Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Afghanistan, Pakistan and Central Asia

David Samuel Sedney is Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Afghanistan, Pakistan and Central Asia in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Asian and Pacific Security Affairs.

Mr. Sedney was Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for East Asia from 2007-2009. He served as Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Beijing from 2004-2007. Previously Mr. Sedney was Deputy Chief of Mission at the United States Embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan from 2003-2004, where he was Charge d’Affaires from August through November 2003. [ Read Bio ]

Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Homeland Defense (HD)
Strategy, Prevention and Mission Assurance

Mr. McDaniel is the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Homeland Defense (HD) Strategy, Prevention and Mission Assurance. These responsibilities include oversight of HD Strategy, Force Planning, Experimentation, Science and Technology, Mission Assurance, Intergovernmental Relations and outreach to DHS, state and local governments and the private sector, congressional and White House liaison, and HD domestic Counterterrorism and Counternarcotics programs on behalf of the ASD for Homeland Defense. His responsibilities in Mission Assurance include supervision of both the DoD Critical Infrastructure Protection program and Global Anti-terrorism/Force Protection policy. [ Read Bio ]

Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Homeland Defense Domains
        and Defense Support of Civil Authorities
          in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense
            for Homeland Defense and Americas’ Security Affairs

Ms. Whelan currently serves as the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Homeland Defense Domains and Defense Support of Civil Authorities in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Homeland Defense and Americas’ Security Affairs. In that capacity, she oversees policy development and implementation on matters involving homeland defense preparedness and operations in the land, maritime, and air domains, anti-terrorism force protection, defense critical infrastructure protection, defense continuity and crisis management, and DoD support to civil authorities for routine events and in times of man-made or natural disasters. [ Read Bio ]

Dr. Frank O. Mora presently serves as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Western Hemisphere Affairs, one of the three components of the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Homeland Defense and Americas’ Security Affairs. In this position he oversees policy issues and defense relations involving countries in the hemisphere as well as U.S. government funding of hemispheric defense cooperation, and the integration of U.S. Northern Command and U.S. Southern Command. [ Read Bio ]

Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction

Ms. Rebecca K.C. Hersman was named Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction for the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense in March 2009. In this role she is responsible for establishing policies and guidance to protect US and Allied war fighters against a chemical, biological, radiological, or nuclear (CBRN) attack from a state actor or terrorist. Ms. Hersman also represents the Department’s interests on counter proliferation and non-proliferation policy issues, including the Biological Weapons Convention, Chemical Weapons Convention, and Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, as well as the Cooperative Threat Reduction Program. [ Read Bio ]

Mr. Bradley H. Roberts, as the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense (Nuclear and Missile Defense Policy) (DASD (NMD)), is responsible for providing policy advice and support to the Secretary of Defense and other senior Department of Defense (DOD) leaders by formulating, recommending, integrating, and implementing policies and strategies to improve United States strategic and conventional strike capabilities, defenses, arms control and related matters. This encompasses DoD policy relating to requirements, capability development, operations, declaratory policy, employment, and international cooperation or agreements (including arms control agreements) in the areas of missile defense, nuclear forces and global strike. [ Read Bio ]

Mr. Robert (Bob) Butler is Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Cyber and Space Policy. He is responsible for providing insightful policy advice and support to the Secretary of Defense and other senior Department of Defense (DOD) leaders by formulating, recommending, integrating, and implementing policies and strategies to improve United States Cyber and Space posture. This encompasses DoD policy relating to requirements, capability development, operations, declaratory policy, employment, and international cooperation or agreements.

Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations & Combating Terrorism

Garry Reid was appointed as the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations and Combating Terrorism in April 2009. A career member of the Senior Executive Service, he serves as the principal advisor to the ASD (SOLIC/IC) for DoD policies, plans, authorities, and resources related to special operations and irregular warfare, with special emphasis on counterterrorism, counterinsurgency, unconventional warfare, sensitive special operations, and other activities as specified by the Secretary of Defense. He represents the Secretary of Defense on various working groups in the interagency arena and maintains an active liaison with those agencies that have responsibility for national security policy as it relates to special operations and combating terrorism. Mr. Reid is also the principal crisis manager for the Office of the ASD (SOLIC/IC) in response to international and/or domestic activities related to special operations and combating terrorism. [ Read Bio ]

Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Partnership Strategy and Stability Operations

Dr. James A. Schear was appointed as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense (Partnership Strategy and Stability Operations) on April 27, 2009. A member of the policy team in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Special Operations/Low-Intensity Conflict and Interdependent Capabilities), Dr. Schear advises the Department’s leadership on all matters pertaining to stabilization and reconstruction operations, foreign disaster relief, humanitarian assistance, international peacekeeping efforts and non-combatant evacuations. He also oversees the Department’s efforts to assist foreign partners in their efforts to bolster stability within regions threatened by conflict or extremist violence. [ Read Bio ]

William F. Wechsler is the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Counternarcotics and Global Threats. Mr. Wechsler leads the department’s counternarcotics and threat finance policies and operations around the world, among other global issues, overseeing a budget of over $1 billion. He reports to the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations/Low Intensity Conflict and Interdependent Capabilities.

In prior government service, Mr. Wechsler has served as Special Advisor to the Secretary of the Treasury and on the staff of the National Security Council as Director for Transnational Threats and as Director for Global Issues and Multilateral Affairs. [ Read Bio ]

Janine Davidson was appointed as the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Plans in April 2009. Dr. Davidson is responsible for advising the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy on matters pertaining to the development of U.S. national security and defense planning. She oversees the development of guidance for military campaign and contingency plans and the processes for review and assessment of plans. She is also responsible for the U.S. global defense posture and international agreements related to U.S. forces stationed overseas, as well as the Office of the Secretary of Defense’s (OSD) role in global force management. [ Read Bio ]

Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Strategy in the Office of the Secretary of Defense

Amanda J. Dory currently serves as the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Strategy in the Office of the Secretary of Defense. She is a career member of the Senior Executive Service. From 2007-2008, Amanda served as the Principal Director, Policy Planning responsible for strategy development, oversight of contingency and campaign plans, and long-term trends analysis and futures. [ Read Bio ]

David Ochmanek is the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Force Development. Prior to joining the Office of the Secretary of Defense, he was a senior defense analyst and director of the Strategy and Doctrine Program for Project Air Force at the RAND Corporation, where he worked from 1985 until 1993, and again from 1995 until 2009. From 1993 until 1995, he served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Strategy. [ Read Bio ]

Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Prisoner of War/Missing Personnel Affairs

Mr. Bob Newberry is the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for POW/Missing Personnel Affairs and Director of the Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office. He is responsible for leading the Department of Defense worldwide commitment to the fullest possible accounting of Americans missing in action from all conflicts. This mission includes the rescue of individuals who fall in harm’s way as a result of combat. [ Read Bio ]