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Assistant Secretary of Defense for Indo-Pacific Security Affairs

(Redirected from Assistant Secretary of Defense for Asian and Pacific Security Affairs)

The Assistant Secretary of Defense for Indo-Pacific Security Affairs, or ASD (IPSA), is the principal advisor to the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy (USD(P)) and the Secretary of Defense on international security strategy and policy on issues of DoD interest that relate to the governments and defense establishments of the nations and international organizations within the Indo-Pacific region. It primarily includes the entire region from India to Japan, and the region where ASEAN is located.[1] The position was originally titled Assistant Secretary of Defense for Asian and Pacific Security Affairs but was renamed by the Trump Administration alongside the renaming of the United States Indo-Pacific Command.[2]

Assistant Secretary of Defense for Indo-Pacific Security Affairs
Seal of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Indo-Pacific Security Affairs
Incumbent
Ely Ratner
since July 25, 2021
Under Secretary of Defense for Policy
AppointerThe President
with Senate advice and consent
Term lengthNo fixed term
Inaugural holderJames J. Shinn
DeputyPrincipal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense
WebsiteOfficial website

Office holders edit

Assistant Secretaries of Defense (Asian and Pacific Security Affairs/Indo-Pacific Security Affairs)[3][4]
Name Tenure SecDef(s) served under President(s) served under
James J. Shinn December 19, 2007 – November 14, 2008[5] Robert M. Gates George W. Bush
Mitchell Shivers (Acting)[6] November 14, 2008 – January 20, 2009
Derek Mitchell (Acting) April 1, 2009 – May 12, 2009 Robert M. Gates Barack Obama
Lieutenant General Wallace "Chip" Gregson (Ret.) May 13, 2009[7] – April 1, 2011 Robert M. Gates
Derek Mitchell (Acting) April 2, 2011 – August 12, 2011 Robert M. Gates
Leon Panetta
Peter R. Lavoy (Acting) August 15, 2011 – May 8, 2012 Leon Panetta
Mark Lippert May 9, 2012 – April 24, 2013 Leon Panetta
Chuck Hagel
Peter R. Lavoy (Acting) May 1, 2013 – January 10, 2014 Chuck Hagel
David B. Shear July 17, 2014 – June 2016 Chuck Hagel
Ashton Carter
Kelly E. Magsamen (Acting) June 2016 – January 20, 2017 Ashton Carter
David F. Helvey (Acting) January 20, 2017 – December 29, 2017 James Mattis Donald Trump
Randall Schriver December 29, 2017 – December 31, 2019 James Mattis
Mark Esper
David F. Helvey (Acting) January 1, 2020 – July 2021 Mark Esper
Lloyd Austin Joe Biden
Kenneth Handelman (acting)[8][9] July 2021 - July 25, 2021 Lloyd Austin
Ely Ratner[10] July 25, 2021 – Present Lloyd Austin

Role and responsibilities edit

Like the Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs, the ASD (IPSA) is responsible for oversight of security cooperation programs and foreign military sales programs within the regions under its supervision.[11] The ASD (IPSA) also works closely with the United States Indo-Pacific Command, United States Central Command, and the Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies. Finally, the ASD (IPSA) represents the USD(P) and the Secretary of Defense in interagency policy deliberations and international negotiations related to the Asia-Pacific region. The Office of the ASD (IPSA) is an entity of the Office of the Secretary of Defense.

Structure edit

This office was created in 2007. It is composed of at least six country/sub-regional desks, each staffed by a Senior Country Director. Most desks are also supported by an Assistant Country Director or group of Country Directors. As of February 2011, the desks listed on the APSA website included:

  • Australia, New Zealand, and South Pacific Islands
  • Burma, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, Vietnam
  • China, Hong Kong, Mongolia, Taiwan
  • Japan
  • Korea
  • Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Brunei, East Timor

However, this list must be incomplete, since the office also has oversight of programs in Central Asia, Afghanistan and Pakistan, as well as India and other Asian nations.[12]

Depending on their areas of coverage, the country/sub-regional desks report to four different Deputy Assistant Secretaries:

  • DASD East Asia
  • DASD China
  • DASD South & Southeast Asia
  • DASD Afghanistan, Pakistan and Central Asia.

DASDs are appointed by the Secretary of Defense. Some are appointed from civilian life, while others are career defense officials. Once at the DASD level, the latter are considered a part of the DoD Senior Executive Service.

The ASD (APSA) is also supported by a Principal Deputy, or PDASD, who helps oversee the DASDs and the office's country/sub-regional desks.

Principal Deputy Assistant Secretaries for Asian and Pacific Security Affairs/Indo-Pacific Security Affairs edit

Name Tenure ASD (APSA) Served Under USD(P) Served Under SecDef(s) Served Under President(s) Served Under
Mitchell Shivers June 2008[13] – January 2009 James J. Shinn Eric S. Edelman Robert M. Gates George W. Bush
Derek Mitchell April 2009 – August 2011 Wallace "Chip" Gregson Michèle Flournoy Robert M. Gates
Leon Panetta		 Barack Obama
Dr. Peter R. Lavoy August 2011 – February 2014 Mark Lippert Michèle Flournoy
James N. Miller		 Leon Panetta Barack Obama
Kelly E. Magsamen February 2014 – January 2017 David B. Shear Michael D. Lumpkin
Christine E. Wormuth
Brian P. McKeon		 Ashton Carter Barack Obama
David F. Helvey (acting) June 2016 – January 2017 Kelly E. Magsamen (acting) Brian P. McKeon Ashton Carter Barack Obama
David F. Helvey January 2017 – May 2021 David F. Helvey (acting)
Randall G. Schriver		 Robert Karem (acting)
David Trachtenberg (acting)
John C. Rood		 James Mattis Donald Trump
Colin Kahl Lloyd Austin Joe Biden

Deputy Assistant Secretaries of Defense Reporting to the ASD (APSA) edit

The list below details both the current DASD and previous DASD posts in this office.

Name Tenure ASD (APSA) Served Under USD(P) Served Under SecDef(s) Served Under President(s) Served Under
Active Offices
DASD (APSA), East Asia
David Samuel Sedney[14] 2007–2009 James J. Shinn
Derek Mitchell		 Eric S. Edelman Robert M. Gates George W. Bush
R. Michael Schiffer[15] May 6, 2009 – 2012 Wallace "Chip" Gregson
Derek Mitchell		 Michele Flournoy Robert M. Gates Barack Obama
David Helvey[16] 2013–2015 David Shear James N. Miller

Michael D. Lumpkin

Christine E. Wormuth

Chuck Hagel

Ash Carter

Barack Obama
Abraham M. Denmark[17] 2015 – January 2017 David Shear
Kelly E. Magsamen 		Brian P. Mckeon Ashton Carter Barack Obama
BGen Roberta L. Shea July 2017 – May 2019 David F. Helvey Robert Karem
Joseph D. Kernan 		James Mattis
Mark Esper 		Donald Trump
Heino Klinck[18] August 2019 – january 2021 Randall Schriver
David F. Helvey 		Joseph D. Kernan Mark Esper Donald Trump
Siddharth Mohandas 2021 - Present David F. Helvey

Ely Ratner

Colin Kahl Lloyd Austin Joe Biden
DASD (APSA), China
Chad Sbragia June 2019 – January 2021 Randall Schriver
David F. Helvey		 Joseph D. Kernan Mark Esper Donald Trump
Michael S. Chase February 2021[19] - Present David F. Helvey

Ely Ratner

Colin Kahl Lloyd Austin Joe Biden
DASD (APSA), South and Southeast Asia
James Clad[20][21][22] March 2007 – January 2009 James J. Shinn Eric S. Edelman Robert M. Gates George W. Bush
Robert Scher[15] May 6, 2009 – April 2012 Wallace "Chip" Gregson
Derek Mitchell		 Michele Flournoy Robert M. Gates Barack Obama
Joseph Felter[23] July 2017 – September 2019[24] David F. Helvey
Randall Schriver
David F. Helvey		 Robert Karem
Joseph D. Kernan		 James Mattis
Mark Esper		 Donald Trump
Lindsey W. Ford 2021 - Present David F. Helvey

Ely Ratner

Colin Kahl Lloyd Austin Joe Biden
DASD (APSA), Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Central Asia
David Samuel Sedney[25] 2009 – May 2013 Wallace "Chip" Gregson
Derek Mitchell		 Michele Flournoy Robert M. Gates Barack Obama
Thomas Croci February 3, 2020 – January 19, 2021 David F. Helvey Joseph D. Kernan Mark Esper Donald Trump
Rebecca Zimmerman February 16, 2021 - Present David F. Helvey

Ely Ratner

Colin Kahl Lloyd Austin Joe Biden
Defunct Offices
DASD (APSA), Central Asia
Mitchell Shivers 2007[26] – June 2008 James J. Shinn Eric S. Edelman Robert M. Gates George W. Bush

References edit

  1. ^ "ASD for Indo-Pacific Security Affairs". policy.defense.gov. Retrieved 2023-08-06.
  2. ^ The Department of Defense’s Indo-Pacific Strategy The Heritage Foundation June 26, 2019
  3. ^ "Department of Defense Key Officials" (PDF). Historical Office, OSD. 2004. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-07-21. Retrieved 2011-02-01.
  4. ^ "Department of Defense Key Officials" (PDF). Historical Office, OSD. 28 January 2020. Retrieved 2020-06-13.
  5. ^ "Back from Afghanistan". The Daily Princetonian. 2008-11-17. Retrieved 2011-09-17.
  6. ^ "Monmouth University: Current News". Monmouth.edu. 2008-11-14. Retrieved 2011-09-17.
  7. ^ "Biography: Wallace "Chip" Gregson". Defense.gov. 2009-05-13. Retrieved 2013-07-24.
  8. ^ Detsch, Jack. "Biden Loses Top Pentagon Asia Hand". Foreign Policy. Retrieved 2021-08-21.
  9. ^ "Department of Defense Key Officials September 1947–July 2021" (PDF). Historical Office - Office of the Secretary of Defense. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2021-07-26. Retrieved October 4, 2021.
  10. ^ "Austin Administers Speedy Swearing-In for DOD". U.S. Department of Defense. Retrieved 2021-07-26.
  11. ^ "Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy". Policy.defense.gov. Archived from the original on 2011-09-16. Retrieved 2011-09-17.
  12. ^ John T. Bennett, "DoD Shakes Up Policy Shop," Defense News, 13 July 2009, [1][dead link]
  13. ^ "Us To Triple Aid To Pakistan To 1.5 Billion Per Year – Pakistani Defence Forum". Forum.pakistanidefence.com. Retrieved 2011-09-17.
  14. ^ "Biography: David S. Sedney". Defense.gov. Retrieved 2011-09-17.
  15. ^ a b "Senior Executive Service Appointments/Assignments" (PDF). DoD, Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs. May 2009. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-07-21. Retrieved 2011-02-15.
  16. ^ "David Helvey Named Defense Deputy Asst Secretary For East Asia – Executive Gov". Executive Gov. Retrieved 2016-11-15.
  17. ^ "Pentagon Appoints Abraham Denmark, NBR Senior Vice President, as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for East Asia". www.nbr.org. Archived from the original on 2016-11-16. Retrieved 2016-11-15.
  18. ^ "Heino Klinck, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for East Asia". www.defense.gov. Archived from the original on 2019-08-29. Retrieved 2019-12-19.
  19. ^ "Michael S. Chase". Department of Defense. Retrieved 2022-07-11.
  20. ^ James Clad Linkedin Profile, http://www.linkedin.com/pub/james-clad/6/99a/a5b
  21. ^ "DoD Senior Leadership" (PDF). Air Force Magazine. March 2008. Retrieved 2011-02-15.
  22. ^ "FORMER U.S. DEP. ASST. SECRETARY OF DEFENSE JOINS ARCANUM GLOBAL – Arcanum". Arcanum. Retrieved 2016-02-02.
  23. ^ "Senior Executive Service Announcements". U.S. Department of Defense Search. Retrieved 22 July 2017.
  24. ^ "Dr. Joseph H. Felter > U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE > Biography". www.defense.gov. Retrieved 2020-01-07.
  25. ^ "David S. Sedney - Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Afghanistan, Pakistan and Central Asia" (PDF). Department of Defense. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2021-07-13.
  26. ^ "Congressional Record – 110th Congress (2007–2008) – THOMAS (Library of Congress)". Thomas.loc.gov. Archived from the original on 2010-12-25. Retrieved 2011-09-17.

External links edit

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