Assistant Secretary of State for Political-Military Affairs explained

Post:United States
Assistant Secretary of State
for Political-Military Affairs
Insignia:U.S. Department of State official seal.svg
Insigniasize:120px
Insigniacaption:Seal of the United States Department of State
Incumbent:Stanley L. Brown
Acting:yes
Incumbentsince:July 16, 2024[1]
Reports To:Under Secretary for Arms Control and International Security Affairs
Nominator:President of the United States
Formation:1969
Inaugural:Ronald I. Spiers
Website:Official Website

The Assistant Secretary of State for Political-Military Affairs is a position within the U.S. Department of State that manages the Bureau of Political-Military Affairs, charged with linking the Department of Defense and the Department of State by providing policy in the areas of international security, security assistance, military operations, defense strategy and policy, military use of space, and defense trade. The Assistant Secretary of State for Political-Military Affairs reports to the Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security Affairs.

When the Department of State originally established the Bureau of Politico-Military Affairs on September 18, 1969, the bureau had replaced a special component for politico-military affairs that had served under the Deputy Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs since 1960. The head of the Bureau had the title of Director of the Bureau of Politico-Military Affairs, and was designated by the Secretary of State, but still held rank equivalent to Assistant Secretary. Later, the director became appointed by the President, subject to the advice and consent of the Senate, and the title of the head of the Bureau was changed to Assistant Secretary on April 14, 1986.[2]

List of directors of the Bureau of Political-Military Affairs, 1969–1985

NameAssumed officeLeft officePresident served under
1Ronald I. SpiersSeptember 18, 1969August 2, 1973Richard Nixon
2Seymour WeissAugust 6, 1973January 17, 1974
3George S. VestApril 29, 1974March 27, 1977Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford
4Leslie H. GelbFebruary 23, 1977June 30, 1979Jimmy Carter
5Reginald H. BartholomewJuly 1, 1979January 20, 1981
6Richard R. BurtJanuary 23, 1981February 17, 1982Ronald Reagan
7Jonathan HoweMay 10, 1982July 1, 1984
8John T. Chain, Jr.July 1, 1984June 14, 1985

List of Assistant Secretaries of State for Political-Military Affairs, 1986–present

NameAssumed officeLeft officePresident served under
9H. Allen HolmesJuly 19, 1985August 8, 1989Ronald Reagan
10Richard A. ClarkeAugust 8, 1989July 10, 1992George H. W. Bush
11Robert GallucciJuly 13, 1992October 11, 1994George H. W. Bush and Bill Clinton
12Thomas E. McNamaraOctober 12, 1994January 9, 1998 Bill Clinton
13Eric D. NewsomNovember 2, 1998December 31, 2000
14Lincoln P. Bloomfield, Jr.May 31, 2001January 20, 2005George W. Bush
15John HillenOctober 11, 2005January 11, 2007[3]
-Stephen D. Mull (Acting)January 11, 2007August 8, 2008
16Mark KimmittAugust 8, 2008January 20, 2009
17Andrew J. ShapiroJune 22, 2009April 19, 2013Barack Obama
-Thomas P. Kelly III (Acting)April 19, 2013April 9, 2014
18Puneet TalwarApril 9, 2014November 2015
19R. Clarke CooperMay 2, 2019January 20, 2021Donald Trump
-Timothy Alan Betts (Acting)January 20, 2021September 30, 2021Joe Biden
20Jessica LewisSeptember 30, 2021July 16, 2024
-Stanley L. Brown (Acting)July 16, 2024Incumbent

References

  1. https://www.state.gov/biographies/stanley-l-brown/
  2. Web site: Assistant Secretaries of State for Politico-Military Affairs . September 22, 2007 .
  3. Web site: Hillen, John . December 7, 2008 .