The US Senate today confirmed ARRL member David Trachtenberg, N4WWL, of Burke, Virginia, as the next Principal Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Policy. Trachtenberg, 60, is the president and CEO of Shortwaver Consulting LLC, a national security consultancy. He is National Planning Coordinator and Northeast Division Director for USAF MARS, and is active in the Pentagon Amateur Radio Club (PARC).

Trachtenberg has prior service in several Department of Defense posts, most recently as the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Policy. In that role, he was responsible for issues relating to NATO, Europe, Russia, and Eurasia; technology security; counter-proliferation; missile defense; nuclear forces; and arms control. Trachtenberg also was a professional staff member with the House Armed Services Committee.

He holds a bachelor’s degree in international relations from the University of Southern California and a master’s degree in foreign service from Georgetown University. — Thanks to Gary Sessums, KC5QCN