[1][3] An American diplomat, he has served in U.S. embassies in Kathmandu, Nepal from 1980 to 1982, in Madras, India from 1982 to 1984, in the State Department Press Office in 1985, and in Warsaw, Poland from 1985 to 1988.

[3][4] From 1990 to 1992, he learned Arabic at the Foreign Service Institute, and served in Cairo, Egypt until 1997.

[3][4] From July to October 2003, he served as political advisor to L. Paul Bremer with the Coalition Provisional Authority in Baghdad, Iraq.

[3] In 2007, he received the President's Award for Distinguished Federal Civilian Service.

[3] Since August 2009, he has served as Senior Vice President of the National Defense University, where he also teaches foreign policy.