The Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) announces that Mr. James A. Hursch, a career member of the Senior Executive Service, has been appointed as the new DSCA Director, effective January 2, 2022.
Mr. Hursch is no stranger to DSCA having served in the agency from 1991 until 1996, when it was known as the Defense Security Assistance Agency (DSAA). His duties included working on the Excess Defense Articles program, writing reports to Congress, and working on the apportionment of Foreign Military Financing funds. He was also the country desk officer for Central Europe.
Mr. Hursch returns to DSCA after most recently serving as the Acting Secretary of Defense Representative in Europe (A/SECDEFREPEUR) and the Acting Defense Advisor (A/DEFAD) for the U.S. Mission to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. In this position, he was responsible for the formulation, coordination, and presentation of DoD policies to the U.S. Ambassador to NATO and negotiations with Allies and partners on the defense aspects of the Alliance’s mission.
Prior to joining the U.S. Mission, Mr. Hursch served as the Director of the Defense Technology Security Administration (DTSA) from 2008 to 2013. There, he oversaw implementation of technology security policies for international transfers of defense-related goods, services, and technologies. He also worked for the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) where he served as a Special Assistant to the Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs, Deputy Director of Northern European Policy and Deputy Director of the Office of European Policy. He also served as the OSD/Ministry of Defense exchange officer in Denmark, and as Nordic and Germany country director in International Security Affairs, European Policy.
Mr. Hursch served as a Faculty Member specializing in defense economics and international relations in the Institute of Higher Defense Studies at the National Defense University. During this time, he edited and contributed to the book Theories of International Relations.
On returning to DSCA as Director, Mr. Hursch said, “It is a great honor to be selected to lead DSCA, carrying forward the excellent Security Cooperation successes this organization has achieved to date. The new National Defense Strategy will recognize the critical importance of our allies and partners in achieving our shared objectives, Security Cooperation will continue to be the “tool of first resort” in the strategic competition environment.”