John Hillen

Dr. John Francis Hillen, of Virginia, was nominated June 28, 2005, by President George W. Bush to be Assistant Secretary of State (Political-Military Affairs) in the Department of State. Hillen's nomination was sent to the Senate on June 28, 2005, and he was confirmed October 7, 2005.

"John Hillen is the President and CEO of Global Defense Technology & Systems, Inc., a publicly traded American defense, intelligence, and homeland security company. Global Defense Technology provides sophisticated counter-terrorism, C4ISR, defense technology, engineering, and force modernization solutions to US government agencies in the national security, domestic security, and intelligence communities. "From 2005 – 2007, Hillen served as the Assistant Secretary of State for Political-Military Affairs in the Bush administration. In that capacity he was the senior State department official responsible for coordinating America’s diplomatic strategy with its military operations. He was also responsible for overseeing the department’s policies in the areas of international security, security assistance, military operations, weapons removal and abatement, and defense trade. He was unanimously confirmed by the US Senate."

Nomination Profile "Dr. Hillen currently serves as President of CGI-AMS Secure Incorporated. Earlier in his career, he served as a Senior Scholar at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, the Council on Foreign Relations, and the Heritage Foundation. Prior to that, Dr. Hillen served in the United States Army and received a Bronze Star Medal for actions in combat during Operation Desert Storm. He received his bachelor's degree from Duke University and his first master's degree from the University of London King's College. He later received his Ph.D. from the University of Oxford St. Anthony's College and his second master's degree from Cornell University." 

Profiles
Dr. John Hillen, former CEO of Island ECN Inc. (an innovative Wall Street technology firm that rose to become the nation's largest global electronic agency securities broker), was the youngest member of the 1999 Study Group for the U.S. Commission on National Security/21st Century / Hart-Rudman Commission.

On January 28, 2003, American Management Systems, Inc. (AMS), a "global business and IT consulting firm, ... announced that John Hillen has joined AMS as senior vice president to lead its defense and intelligence practice within its public sector group. Hillen will tap his extensive Department of Defense and international security expertise to head AMS's work delivering mission-critical products and services to defense and intelligence community customers."

Hillen has served as Senior Fellow and Special Assistant to the President and CEO at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). He has been Olin Fellow for National Security Studies, Council on Foreign Relations, and a Fellow and Defense Policy Analyst at The Heritage Foundation. He has also served as a Fellow, Inter-University Seminar on Armed Forces and Society; is a Henry Crown Fellow at the Aspen Institute, and is a Trustee at the International Institute for Strategic Studies in London. He is Contributing Editor at the National Review.

Hillen received his Ph.D. in International Relations from the University of Oxford, his M.A. in War Studies at King's College, London, and his B.A. in Public Policy Studies and History at Duke University. Hillen is scheduled to receive a Master of Business Administration degree from Cornell University in 2004.

He served as a U.S. Army Cavalry Officer, The 2d Armored Cavalry Regiment, in Germany and Southwest Asia. He received the Bronze Star Medal for Actions in The Battle of the 73 Easting, Operation Desert Storm. Hillen also served as a Captain, U.S. Army Reserve, U.S. Special Operations Command.

SourceWatch Resources

 * Future Visions for U.S. Defense Policy