Want to get MANPADS out of Libya? Call this man.
The State Department’s Bureau of Political-Military Affairs is looking mighty blue lately.
Maj. Gen. Walter Givhan joined the bureau as its deputy assistant secretary for plans, programs and operations. He replaced Maj. Gen. Thomas Masiello, directing the acquisition of special programs for the Defense Department.
The moves were announced a few months ago. But The Cable has this interesting tidbit about the job:
“Givhan is now the highest ranking military officer at the State Department, and his appointment is meant to cement the presence of a high-ranking active duty officer in PM, a State Department official told The Cable. Before Masiello, an active-duty military general hadn’t served in a high ranking PM position since the 1980s, although retired officers have played roles, including former assistant secretary Mark Kimmitt, who retired as a brigadier general before coming to State. …
“Givhan has responsibility for overseeing policy and plans, global peacekeeping issues, DOD force posture issues, and weapons removal and abatements. He is currently State’s point person in the effort to secure the thousands of MANPADS currently floating around Libya. Givhan also is in charge of the international security operations office, a 24/7 military action support team.”
