Center for a New American Security

Affiliation: Bureau of South Asian Affairs, Deputy Assistant Secretary

 

On March 21, 2005, Mr. John A. Gastright joined the Bureau of South Asian Affairs as a Deputy Assistant Secretary. Mr. Gastright will focus primarily on Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan. Prior to this appointment, he was the Director of House Affairs, Bureau of Legislative Affairs at the Department of State, managing and coordinating House of Representatives related legislative and budgetary initiatives impacting the Department and the Administration including appropriations, authorizations and other foreign affairs-related measures.

John A. Gastright's State Department service also includes a brief term as the Acting Coordinator for Afghanistan from June 2004–August 2004. Mr. Gastright first joined the Department of State as the Special Assistant to Deputy Secretary of State Richard L. Armitage, where he served as the staff specialist for South Asia from March 2003-June 2004.

Prior to his service with the Department of State, he served on Capitol Hill as the Chief of Staff to U.S. Congressman Jack Kingston April 2002-March 2003, and Projects Director and Military Assistant to U.S. Senator Strom Thurmond, January 1995-April 2002. He previously served as a Naval Officer from October 1988-December 1994; and a City of Charleston, South Carolina Police Officer from May 1987-October 1988.

Mr. Gastright resides in Croom, Maryland. He has been awarded degrees from the U.S. Naval War College, Master of Arts, National Security Studies; The Catholic University of America, Master of Arts, Congressional Studies; and the Citadel, Bachelor of Arts, Political Science.