SO/LIC Pick

The White House plans to nominate Michael Sheehan for the post of assistant secretary of defense for special operations and low intensity conflict. Sheehan, a fellow at the Combating Terrorism Center at West Point, recently served as a terrorism analyst for NBC News. In a statement released Monday evening, the White House detailed his previous experience:

From 2003 to 2006, he served as the Deputy Commissioner for Counter Terrorism in the New York City Police Department. From 2001 to 2003, he was the Assistant Secretary General of Mission Support in the United Nations Department of Peacekeeping Operations. Mr. Sheehan was appointed as Coordinator for Counter Terrorism at the U.S. Department of State (1998-2000) and was confirmed by the Senate as Ambassador-at-Large in 1999. Mr. Sheehan is a retired U.S. Army Special Forces officer; in this capacity he served on many overseas assignments including Panama, Korea, El Salvador, and Somalia. He was awarded the Combat Infantry Badge for his service. While on active duty, he served at the White House on the National Security Council from 1989 to 1992 and again from 1995 to 1997. He holds a B.S. from the United States Military Academy at West Point, and an M.S. from Georgetown University School of Foreign Service.