The White House has nominated Austin Dahmer, deputy under secretary of defense for policy, and Alexander Velez-Green, senior adviser to the under secretary of defense for policy, for key positions at the Department of Defense.
The 119th Congress recently confirmed receipt of Dahmer and Velez-Green’s nominations to the roles of assistant secretary of defense and deputy under secretary of defense, respectively.
If confirmed, Dahmer will succeed Mara Karlin, who served as deputy under secretary of defense for policy from 2021, while Velez-Green will replace Sasha Baker, who was sworn into the role of deputy under secretary of defense for policy in 2022.
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Who Is Austin Dahmer?
Dahmer is a defense, intelligence, national security and foreign policy expert who advised Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo. He also supported the legislator in efforts to enhance military balance against China in the Indo-Pacific, according to DOD.
Before his work at the Senate, the official was a research consultant for The Marathon Initiative, a non-profit research organization that specializes in developing diplomatic, military and economic strategies.
He also previously held the position of principal policy analyst at SAIC, where he studied defense policies and evaluated wargames for customers in the Office of the Secretary of Defense, the intelligence community and the Joint Staff.
Earlier in his career, Dahmer served as an officer for the U.S. Marine Corps. He was deployed in the East and South China Seas, Japan, Hong Kong and the Philippines.
Who Is Alexander Velez-Green?
Velez-Green also served as a national security adviser to Sen. Hawley while the legislator sat as a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee. During his time working in Congress, he engaged with the DOD, the Department of State and the National Security Council. He has led delegations to the Indo-Pacific to monitor Chinese activities and oversee U.S. response to military threats, per DOD.
His career additionally includes positions at The Heritage Foundation, the RAND Corporation, Systems Planning and Analysis and the Center for a New American Security.
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