ERIC G. JOHN

Ambassador Eric G. John, a career member of the Senior Foreign Service, is the Foreign Policy Adviser to the Air Force Chief of Staff, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C. He provides daily counsel to the Secretary of the Air Force, the Chief of Staff and other senior Air Force leaders on all matters of U.S. foreign policy and international politics relevant to the U.S. Air Force.

Ambassador John joined the Foreign Service in 1983 and has served primarily in East Asia. He has three tours in Korea, most recently as the Minister Counselor for Political Affairs at the U.S. Embassy in Seoul. He also served as the Deputy Director of Korean Affairs in Washington, D.C. His other tours include Deputy Principal Officer of the U.S. Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam; the Orderly Departure Program at the U.S. Embassy in Bangkok, Thailand; and the U.S. Embassy in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania. In 2005, Ambassador John was named Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Southeast Asia. Prior to his current assignment, he served as the U.S. Ambassador to Thailand from 2007 through 2010.

The ambassador grew up in New Castle, Ind. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Foreign Service from the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service and a graduate degree in National Security Studies from the National War College. He speaks Korean and Vietnamese.

EDUCATION
1982 Bachelor of Science degree in Foreign Service, Georgetown University, Washington, D.C.
2002 Master of Arts degree in national security studies, National War College, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.

CAREER CHRONOLOGY
1. 1984 - 1985, Vice Consul, U.S. Consulate, Busan, South Korea
2. 1985 - 1986, Second Secretary and Vice Consul, U.S. Embassy, Seoul, South Korea
3. 1986 - 1988, Second Secretary, U.S. Embassy, Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania
4. 1988 - 1989, student, Vietnamese Language Training, Foreign Service Institute, Arlington, Va.
5. 1989 - 1992, Second Secretary and Consul, U.S. Embassy, Bangkok, Thailand
6. 1992 - 1993, student, Korean Language Training, Foreign Service Institute Field School, Seoul, South Korea
7. 1993 - 1996, First Secretary, Political Section, U.S. Embassy, Seoul, South Korea
8. 1996 - 1998, Political Unit Chief, Office of Korean Affairs, Department of State, Washington, D.C.
9. 1998 - 1999, Deputy Director, Office of Korean Affairs, Department of State, Washington, D.C.
10. 1999 - 2001, Deputy Principal Officer, U.S. Consulate General, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
11. 2001 - 2002, student, National War College, For Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
12. 2002 - 2005, Minister Counselor for Political Affairs, U.S. Embassy, Seoul, South Korea
13. 2005 - 2007, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Southeast Asia, Department of State, Washington, D.C.
14. 2007 - 2010, U.S. Ambassador, U.S. Embassy, Bangkok, Thailand
15. 2011 - present, Foreign Policy Adviser to the Air Force Chief of Staff, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS AND ASSOCIATIONS
Member of the Council on Foreign Relations

(Current as of March 2011)