The Department of Defense announced the following advisor selection on September 22, 2021:
Randy “Church” Kee, a retired U.S. Air Force major general, assumes duties as Senior Advisor for Arctic Security Affairs to assist with establishing the Ted Stevens Center for Arctic Security Studies, the Department of Defense’s sixth and newest regional center.
Kee is responsible for supporting the establishment and early operations of the new DoD institution, with the mission to engage in regional and global security issues through research, communication, and education. The goal of the center is to build strong, sustainable, international networks of security leaders to advance U.S. national security priorities in the Arctic region.
Kee will also work with partner nations to ensure a stable, rules-based order in the Arctic that will benefit the United States and all Arctic nations.
In 2020, the President appointed Kee as Commissioner to the U.S. Arctic Research Commission, and he most recently served as the Executive Director of the Arctic Domain Awareness Center, a U.S. Department of Homeland Security Center of Excellence in Maritime Research, hosted by the University of Alaska.
He has also served as a Global Fellow of the Woodrow Wilson Polar Institute; Network member of the Canadian Hosted North American and Arctic Defense and Security Network; Designated U.S. lead for a technology working group hosted by the Chief of Naval Research in support of the International Cooperative Engagement Program for Polar Research; lead for planning and execution of Arctic Affairs programs for Alaskan Command; and the Co-chair of the Alaska Civilian Armed Services Team, a State of Alaska Advisory Board to the Governor.
During his 30-year military career, Kee led at the squadron, group, wing, and Air Operations Center levels. He has contributed to U.S. Arctic Strategy, supported domain awareness technology development, and provided Defense Support to Arctic crisis response. He culminated his military service as Director of Strategy, Policy, Planning, and Capabilities for U.S. European Command in Stuttgart, Germany.