Institute for National Strategic Studies

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 
Release No. 10-004
July 7, 2010
Contact Information Below

Ambassador John E. Herbst named as new Director of the Center for Complex Operations,
National Defense University

(Washington, DC) Vice Admiral Ann E. Rondeau, President of the National Defense University (NDU), is pleased to announce the selection of Ambassador John E. Herbst, Coordinator for Reconstruction and Stabilization at the State Department, as the new Director for the Center for Complex Operations (CCO) at the Institute for National Strategic Studies (INSS) at NDU. [See fact sheet below.]

CCO is a congressionally mandated center tasked to conduct research, identify lessons learned, and improve the planning and execution of interagency operations.

Ambassador Herbst brings over 30 years of career experience in the Foreign Service at the Department of State where he holds the rank of Career Minister.  He spent four years as Coordinator for Reconstruction and Stabilization (S/CRS) at the U.S. Department of State.

He was instrumental in the launch of the Civilian Response Corps. The Corps, which is now over 1,000 members strong, boasts representatives from an unprecedented number of civilian U.S. government agencies. Ambassador Herbst helped to create the International Stabilization and Peacebuilding Initiative (ISPI) with 14 bilateral and five multilateral partners focused on improving the effectiveness of stabilization and peacebuidling operations through enhancing civilian capability globally. 

While at S/CRS, Mr. Herbst led an organization that provided support for over 20 U.S. Embassies around the world in planning and coordination of conflict prevention and stabilization efforts. He championed the importance of lessons learned and best practices studies on stability operations.

Ambassador Herbst assumed the role of U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine in May 2003. While serving the embassy, he worked to enhance U.S-Ukrainian relations and to help ensure the implementation of a fair Ukrainian presidential election. He was witness to the Orange Revolution while in Kyiv.  Prior to that, Ambassador Herbst was the U.S. Ambassador to Uzbekistan, where he played a critical role in the establishment of an American base to help conduct Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan. He also promoted improved U.S.-Uzbek relations, in part by encouraging the government in Tashkent to improve its human rights record.

Ambassador Herbst has previously served as U.S. Consul General in Jerusalem; Principal Deputy to the Ambassador at Large for the Newly Independent States; and the Director of the Office of Independent States and Commonwealth Affairs. He has been presented with both the Presidential Distinguished Service Award and the State Department's Distinguished Honor Award.

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FACT SHEET: NATIONAL DEFENSE UNIVERSITY RESEARCH COMPONENT REORGANIZATION

The National Defense University research components have been reorganized to foster innovation, responsiveness, and collaboration across the research enterprise at NDU and help ensure that the University’s educational mission benefits from coordinated research.  The new reorganization will strengthen the main mission of NDU, which is focused on supporting the Office of the Secretary of Defense, Joint Chiefs of Staff, Combatant Commanders, and other U.S. Government Agencies through education, research, and outreach.

The reorganization includes four elements: 
 1) Creation of the Office of Vice President of Research and Applied Learning  headed by Dr. Hans Binnendijk, Vice President for Research and Applied Learning at NDU and Theodore Roosevelt Chair in National Security Policy
 2) Creation of the Research Council headed by Dr. John F. Reichart
 3) Strengthening of the Institute for National Strategic Studies (INSS) led by
 Dr. Hans Binnendijk, with five centers:
  a. The Center for Strategic Research led Dr. Christopher Lamb
  b. The Center for Technology and National Security Policy led by
  Dr. Linton Wells II 
  c. The Center for Complex Operations to be led by
  Ambassador John E. Herbst
  d. The Conflict Records Research Center led by Ms. Jessica Huckabee
  e.  The Center for Strategic Conferencing led by Mr. Jerry Faber
 4) Steps to make the Center for Applied Strategic Learning (CASL) led by Professor Erik Kjonnerod and NDU Press led by Dr. Jeffrey Smotherman  university wide assets.
 
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For additional information about Amb. Herbst and the research reorganization contact Kimberley Berlin, Outreach & Communications, INSS, (202) 685-2335, (202) 491-8687, or BerlinK@ndu.edu

For additional information about the National Defense University contact David Thomas, Director of Public Affairs, NDU, (202) 685-3140 or ThomasD2@ndu.edu