FDD Welcomes Green Beret Michael Waltz as Non-Resident Senior Fellow

WASHINGTON – Michael Waltz, a lieutenant colonel in the Special Forces (reserve component), has joined the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD) as a non-resident senior fellow. Waltz, who also served as Special Advisor for South Asia and Counterterrorism to former Vice President Dick Cheney, will focus on American military strategy in the Middle East.

“It's a great pleasure to welcome Michael to FDD,” said FDD Senior Counselor John Hannah, who served with Waltz at the Office of the Vice President. “His extraordinary service both on the battlefield and in the White House Situation Room has given him unique insight into the war on terror, and will make him a valuable addition to FDD's world class research team.”

In addition to serving as an advisor to the vice president, Waltz was the director for Afghanistan policy at the Pentagon, responsible for shaping policy and providing recommendations to the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy and the Secretary of Defense.

Waltz will remain president of Metis Solutions, a defense contracting firm that provides strategic analysis, policy development, intelligence support, and foreign commercial development to the U.S. Government and corporate customers worldwide. Waltz will also remain a partner at an international consulting firm, Askari Associates, which provides strategic advice and consulting services to foreign governments and commercial entities, particularly in the Middle East and North Africa.

Waltz is a Distinguished Military Graduate of the Virginia Military Institute. He commanded a U.S. Army Special Forces unit in the reserve component with multiple deployments to Afghanistan and the Middle East. He detailed his tours of duty in his book, Warrior Diplomat: A Green Beret’s Battles from Washington to Afghanistan (Potomac Books, 2014), and contributed the net proceeds of his book sales to the Green Beret Foundation.

“We are honored to have Mike join us,” said FDD’s vice president for research, Jonathan Schanzer. “His service to our country and experience in the field, both as a Special Forces commander and as private sector entrepreneur, adds valuable depth and insight to our team.”

Waltz was previously a senior national security fellow at the New America Foundation. His writings have recently appeared in Foreign Policy, The Washington Times, and The Daily Caller. He has made recent television appearances on Fox News, C-Span, and PBS Frontline.

About FDD:

The Foundation for Defense of Democracies is a non-profit, non-partisan 501(c)3 policy institute focusing on foreign policy and national security. Founded in 2001, FDD combines policy research, democracy and counterterrorism education, strategic communications and investigative journalism in support of its mission to promote pluralism, defend democratic values and fight the ideologies that drive terrorism. Visit our website at www.defenddemocracy.org and connect with us on Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube.

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