Secretary of Defense Ash Carter has appointed James H. Baker to serve as the director, Office of Net Assessment. Baker succeeds Andrew Marshall who retired in January after 42 years of service in the Department of Defense.
"From his service in uniform to his work on the Joint Staff Jim Baker has devoted much time and energy to thinking about the future security environment," said Secretary Carter. "He has the experience, creativity, and long-term vision to help our military and our nation chart a clear path forward into an uncertain future - assessing today's trends to prepare for tomorrow's challenges and opportunities."
Baker is currently the principal deputy director, Strategic Plans and Policy, J5 and the strategist to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Marty Dempsey. He leads a team responsible for conducting independent "red cell" analysis of current policies and provides creative and global strategic perspectives on the full array of political-military issues.
The Office of Net Assessment is an independent organization within the Department of Defense charged with identifying emerging or future threats and opportunities for the United States. To do so, the office develops and coordinates net assessments of the standing trends, and future prospects of the military capabilities and potential of the United States in comparison with the military capabilities and potential of other countries or groups of countries.
Baker will report directly to Secretary of Defense Carter.