Atlantic Council

Biography

James J. Townsend Jr.

James J. Townsend Jr. is Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for European and NATO Policy. He was formerly the Vice President and Director of the International Security Program at the Atlantic Council. Before taking up this position, Jim was the Principle Director of European and NATO Policy in the Office of Secretary of Defense, responsible for managing the day-to-day defense relationship between the United States, NATO and the nations of Europe. Prior to this assignment, Mr. Townsend was the Director of NATO Policy (2002-2003) and the Director of the Defense Plans Division at the US Mission to NATO (1998-2002).

Before beginning his tour at NATO, Mr. Townsend served for eight years (1990-1998) in the Office of the Secretary of Defense. His last post in OSD was Deputy Director of European Policy where he played a pivotal role in building new relations between the US and the emerging democracies of Central and Eastern Europe. From 1990 – 1994, Mr. Townsend was the Country Director for Northern Europe, where he developed new, post-Cold War defense relations between the US and the Scandinavian nations.

Prior to his service on the European Policy staff, Mr. Townsend worked in the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) as Country Director for European security assistance and as the assistant to the DSCA Comptroller, where he worked on most of the financial aspects involved in foreign military sales. Mr. Townsend began his career in 1978 with internships in the Departments of State, in the Office of Congressman Charles E. Bennett and in the Arms Control and Disarmament Agency (ACDA), where he worked on the strategic affairs staff.

Mr. Townsend has been awarded a Presidential Rank Award (Meritorious Executive), Secretary of Defense Meritorious Civilian Service Award, the Office of the Secretary of Defense Exceptional Civilian Service Award (twice), the Office of the Secretary of Defense Award for Excellence and the Department of the Army Superior Civilian Service Award.

Born in New Orleans, Louisiana, and raised in Jacksonville, Florida, he earned a B.A. in History and Political Science from Duke University in 1979, graduating Cum Laude. He earned an M.A. from the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) in 1982 in International Economics and American Foreign Policy. In 1986, Mr. Townsend received a direct commission in the U.S. Navy Reserve (intelligence) leaving the Reserves as a Lieutenant Commander.