Department of Defense
At DoD I served as Assistant Secretary of Defense for Asian and Pacific Security Affairs from late 2006 through 2008, a portfolio previously held by Richard Lawless, and by Wallace “Chip” Gregson in the Obama Administration.
The ASD for Asia is responsible for national security policy for the Asian region, which begins at Herat in the West to Honolulu in the East, encompassing all of PACOM and part of CENTCOM. In Pentagon officialese, “Mr. James J. Shinn was confirmed by the U. S. Senate as the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Asian & Pacific Security Affairs on December 19, 2007. In this position, he is the civilian advisor to the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy (USD(P)) and the Secretary of Defense on national security matters in the Asian and Pacific region. He is responsible for developing regional security and defense strategy; formulating and coordinating regional defense policies in support of the Secretary’s objectives; overseeing operational execution of the Secretary’s approved policies for the region; and fostering bilateral and multilateral defense and military relationships in the region. Mr. Shinn is the focal point for Secretary of Defense policies of interest within the Office of the USD(P) and with the DoD Components and the interagency, for United States Pacific Command, United States Central Command, and for the Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies. Mr. Shinn also represents the USD(P) and the Secretary of Defense in interagency policy deliberations and international negotiations related to the Asian and Pacific region.”
