Trump to nominate McPherson, Beehler for Army leadership posts

By Courtney McBride / October 13, 2017 at 8:30 AM

The White House late Oct. 12 announced intended nominees for a pair of senior Army civilian posts.

For the post of Army general counsel, the president intends to nominate James McPherson, executive director of the National Association of Attorneys General. He previously served as general counsel for the Defense Department's Counterintelligence Field Activity. A retired rear admiral, McPherson's last assignment was as the Navy's judge advocate general.

He initially enlisted in the Army before becoming commissioned into the Navy JAG corps.

The president previously nominated Ryan Dean Newman, an acting assistant attorney general for the Justice Department's Office of Legal Policy, to serve as Army general counsel. Newman's nomination was transmitted to the Senate on April 28 and withdrawn Sept. 28.

Additionally, President Trump will nominate Alex Beehler to serve as Army assistant secretary for installations, energy and the environment.

Beehler currently heads "an independent environmental and energy consulting services company," the White House states. Prior roles include a senior advisory post at FaegreBD Consulting and executive vice president of Plexus Logistics International.

He previously served as acting deputy under secretary of defense for installations and environment, as assistant deputy under secretary of defense and as principal deputy to the deputy under secretary of defense for environment, safety and occupational health.

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