The Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs is proud to host a Director's Lunch on “National Security and the 2004 Election” with Rand Beers, Former National Security Advisor for the Kerry-Edwards Campaign.
Rand Beers most recently worked as the national security advisor for the Kerry-Edwards campaign. He is a retired senior civil servant with 35 years of service. He began as a Marine officer and rifle company commander in Vietnam (1964-1968). He entered the Foreign Service in 1971 and transferred to the Civil Service in 1983. During most of his career he served in the State Department’s Bureau of Politico-Military Affairs, including as Office Director and Deputy Assistant Secretary for regional affairs focusing on the Middle East and Persian Gulf. He was Assistant Secretary of State for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (1998-2002). He also served in four positions on the NSC Staff at the White House during four Administrations. His functions included Director for Counter-terrorism and Counter-narcotics, Director for Peacekeeping, and Senior Director for Intelligence Programs (1988-98). His final government position was as Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Combating Terrorism on the NSC Staff (2002-2003). He resigned in March 2003 and retired in April before joining the Kerry campaign in May 2003. He is currently co-teaching at the Kennedy School of Government with Richard Clarke, ISP-213: Terrorism, Security and Intelligence
