Linton Wells II (born 1946) is an American public servant and educator who served a total of 51 years in government service. He served 26 years in the
United States Navy
The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...
as an officer, and then was appointed by the President of the United States as the Principal
Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense
Assistant Secretary of Defense is a title used for many high-level executive positions in the Office of the Secretary of Defense within the U.S. Department of Defense. The Assistant Secretary of Defense title is junior to Under Secretary of Defen ...
, serving through two administrations of both parties, both the Democrat
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson Clinton ( né Blythe III; born August 19, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 42nd president of the United States from 1993 to 2001. He previously served as governor of Arkansas from 1979 to 1981 and agai ...
and the Republican
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 43rd president of the United States from 2001 to 2009. A member of the Republican Party, Bush family, and son of the 41st president George H. W. Bush, he ...
. He wrote many books, articles, and
white papers
A white paper is a report or guide that informs readers concisely about a complex issue and presents the issuing body's philosophy on the matter. It is meant to help readers understand an issue, solve a problem, or make a decision. A white paper ...
on matters of national security, including important texts related to the use of American military capabilities in global
humanitarian operations. His expertise focused on the strategic impacts of technological change and on building
resilience to natural and man-made disasters as issues of US national security. He shaped, over five decades of public service, current US Department of Defense directives that link policy and technology with
public-private cooperation. His writings significantly altered U.S. and international approaches to civil-military engagement, US policy in global humanitarian assistance, and global public-private partnerships in disaster relief. He has also made fundamental contributions to technical areas that have defined
network-enabled military capabilities and
cyberspace
Cyberspace is a concept describing a widespread interconnected digital technology. "The expression dates back from the first decade of the diffusion of the internet. It refers to the online world as a world 'apart', as distinct from everyday rea ...
operations. After retiring from public service, he continued to contribute to the international STAR-TIDES network that he had founded in 2007, a consortium of several thousand global nodes comprising agencies, organizations, institutions and individuals in 40+ countries that promote the free exchange of research results on global issues of human security. As of 2021 he is Executive Advisor to the ''Center for Resilient and Sustainable Communities'' (C-RASC) at George Mason University and chairs the Advisory Group of the C4I and Cyber Center there. C-RASC has been working with the People-Centered Internet (PCI) on ways to “put humanity at the center of the Internet” and support a variety of revitalization initiatives. He is on the board of PCI, and also the President and CEO of ''Global Resilience Strategies'' and Senior Advisor to ''Resilient Japan''. He was listed by ''
Fortune
Fortune may refer to:
General
* Fortuna or Fortune, the Roman goddess of luck
* Luck
* Wealth
* Fortune, a prediction made in fortune-telling
* Fortune, in a fortune cookie
Arts and entertainment Film and television
* ''The Fortune'' (1931 film) ...
'' magazine in 2009 as one of the top 16 "Players of Tech".
[
]
Career
Wells spent over 50 years in the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), including 26 years uniformed service in the Navy where he retired as a Captain (O-6). While on active duty he served as Commanding Officer of the USS Joseph Strauss, DDG-16 and Commander of Destroyer Squadron 21
A destroyer squadron is a naval squadron or flotilla usually consisting of destroyers rather than other types of vessel. In some navies other vessels, such as frigates, may be included. In English the word "squadron" tends to be used for larger a ...
. He subsequently served 14 years within the Senior Executive Service
The Senior Executive Service (SES) is a position classification in the civil service of the United States federal government equivalent to general officer or flag officer rank in the U.S. Armed Forces. It was created in 1979 when the Civil Service ...
in the Office of the Secretary of Defense
A defence minister or minister of defence is a cabinet official position in charge of a ministry of defense, which regulates the armed forces in sovereign states. The role of a defence minister varies considerably from country to country; in som ...
(OSD). During his years in The Pentagon
The Pentagon is the headquarters building of the United States Department of Defense. It was constructed on an accelerated schedule during World War II. As a symbol of the U.S. military, the phrase ''The Pentagon'' is often used as a metony ...
he was appointed by President Bush to be Acting Assistant Secretary of Defense (Networks and Information Integration) and DoD Chief Information Officer (CIO). After completing several appointments within the Pentagon, in 2007 he accepted an offer to become the Force Transformation Chair at National Defense University. He was additionally selected in 2010 to direct the NDU Center for Technology and National Security Policy and, later, to be Interim Director of the Institute for National Strategic Studies (INSS).
His post-government work focused on the impact of rapidly changing technologies on U.S. national security policy, emphasizing the strategic importance of the accelerating and converging developments in Biotechnology, Robotics, Information technology, Nanotechnology and Energy ("BRINE"), a term coined by his colleague Frank Hoffman. He now is a Visiting Distinguished Research Fellow at INSS at NDU, and Executive Advisor to the C4I and Cyber Center in the Volgenau School of Engineering and to transdisciplinary Center for Resilient and Sustainable Communities (C-RASC), both at the George Mason University (GMU). He is widely published on the national security implications of workforce issues, including:
* the replacement of labor by automation
Automation describes a wide range of technologies that reduce human intervention in processes, namely by predetermining decision criteria, subprocess relationships, and related actions, as well as embodying those predeterminations in machines ...
and artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence (AI) is intelligence—perceiving, synthesizing, and inferring information—demonstrated by machines, as opposed to intelligence displayed by animals and humans. Example tasks in which this is done include speech re ...
,
* defining how innovative learning can contribute to leader development,
* educational transformation, and
* improved decision-making for complex (“Wicked
Wicked may refer to:
Books
* Wicked, a minor character in the ''X-Men'' universe
* ''Wicked'', a 1995 novel by Gregory Maguire that inspired the musical of the same name
* ''Wicked'', the fifth novel in Sara Shepard's ''Pretty Little Liars'' ser ...
”) problems.
He serves on several national and international advisory boards, and is the Managing Partner of Wells Analytics, LLC, and President of Global Resilience Strategies.
Biography
Early life and education
Wells was born in Luanda, Angola
Luanda () is the capital and largest city in Angola. It is Angola's primary port, and its major industrial, cultural and urban centre. Located on Angola's northern Atlantic coast, Luanda is Angola's administrative centre, its chief seaport, ...
, the son of American foreign correspondent Linton Wells and pioneer aviator Fay Gillis Wells
Fay Gillis Wells (October 15, 1908 – December 2, 2002) was an American pioneer aviator, globe-trotting journalist and a broadcaster.
In 1929, she became one of the first women pilots to bail out of an airplane to save her life and helped found ...
. His education included:
* 1951-1954 - Brunswick School
Brunswick School is a private, college-preparatory school for boys in Greenwich, Connecticut, United States. It was founded in 1902 by George B. Carmichael.
History
Brunswick School was founded in 1902 by George B. Carmichael. The school is a ...
, Greenwich, CT (grades 1-4)
* 1954-1958 - Pine Crest School
Pine Crest School is a private preparatory school with campuses in Fort Lauderdale and Boca Raton, Florida, United States. It was founded in Fort Lauderdale in 1934 by Mae McMillan, who also served as the school's first president.
The School has ...
, Fort Lauderdale, FL (grades 5-8)
* 1958-1963 - Browning School
The Browning School is an independent school for boys in New York City. It was founded in 1888 by John A. Browning. It offers instruction in grades kindergarten through 12th grade. The school is a member of the New York Interschool consortium.
...
, New York City (grades 9-12)
* 1963-1967 - U.S. Naval Academy
The United States Naval Academy (US Naval Academy, USNA, or Navy) is a United States Service academies, federal service academy in Annapolis, Maryland. It was established on 10 October 1845 during the tenure of George Bancroft as Secretary of ...
, Bachelor of Science degree in Physics and Oceanography. Trident Scholar and recipient of the Charles N.G. Hendrix award for excellence in oceanography
Oceanography (), also known as oceanology and ocean science, is the scientific study of the oceans. It is an Earth science, which covers a wide range of topics, including ecosystem dynamics; ocean currents, waves, and geophysical fluid dynamic ...
.
* 1971-1975 - Johns Hopkins University
Johns Hopkins University (Johns Hopkins, Hopkins, or JHU) is a private university, private research university in Baltimore, Maryland. Founded in 1876, Johns Hopkins is the oldest research university in the United States and in the western hem ...
from 1971 to 1975 on an Arleigh Burke
Arleigh Albert Burke (October 19, 1901 – January 1, 1996) was an admiral of the United States Navy who distinguished himself during World War II and the Korean War, and who served as Chief of Naval Operations during the Eisenhower and Kenne ...
scholarship, receiving a Master of Science in Engineering in Mathematical Sciences in 1974, and a PhD in Political Science (International Relations) in 1975.
* 1983 - National Institute for Defense Studies (防衛研究所) in Tokyo, Japan.
* 1994 - Harvard Kennedy School of Government
The Harvard Kennedy School (HKS), officially the John F. Kennedy School of Government, is the public policy school, school of public policy and government of Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The school offers master's degrees in p ...
, as a Diplomate of the ''Senior Officers in National Security'' Program.
Navy career
In twenty-six years of commissioned service he served in a variety of ships as a Surface Warfare Officer
The surface warfare insignia is a military badge of the United States Navy which is issued to U.S. Navy personnel who are trained and qualified to perform duties aboard United States surface warships. There are presently four classes of the surf ...
. A full roster of his shipboard service includes:
* 1967-1969 - , Weapons and Supply Officer
* 1969-1970 - , Navigator
* 1976-1977 - , Operations Officer
* 1980-1981 - , Executive Officer
* 1984-1986 - , Commanding Officer
* 1989-1991 - Destroyer Squadron 21
A destroyer squadron is a naval squadron or flotilla usually consisting of destroyers rather than other types of vessel. In some navies other vessels, such as frigates, may be included. In English the word "squadron" tends to be used for larger a ...
, Commander
Ashore he served in the Pentagon and on the staff of the Chief of Naval Operations (OP 090R). During his career he acquired experience in operations analysis with particular expertise in the Pacific, Indian Ocean and Middle Eastern affairs through the lens of ''Command, Control, Communications and Intelligence (C3I)''
Civilian service in the Office of the Secretary of Defense
Wells served in the Office of the Secretary of Defense
The Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) is a headquarters-level staff of the United States Department of Defense. It is the principal civilian staff element of the U.S. Secretary of Defense, and it assists the Secretary in carrying out aut ...
from 1977 to 1980 and from 1991 to 2007, with his final position being that of Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense (Networks and Information Integration). He served as the Acting Assistant Secretary and DoD Chief Information Officer on two occasions, in 2001 and again in 2004–5. He was a White House political appointee in both the Bill Clinton
William Jefferson Clinton ( né Blythe III; born August 19, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 42nd president of the United States from 1993 to 2001. He previously served as governor of Arkansas from 1979 to 1981 and agai ...
and George W. Bush
George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 43rd president of the United States from 2001 to 2009. A member of the Republican Party, Bush family, and son of the 41st president George H. W. Bush, he ...
administrations.
His other OSD positions included Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense (C3I) and Deputy Under Secretary of Defense (Policy Support) in the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense (Policy). He is the author of a well-known 2001 memo on the “unpredictable nature of great power relations” that has been cited by former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld
Donald Henry Rumsfeld (July 9, 1932 – June 29, 2021) was an American politician, government official and businessman who served as Secretary of Defense from 1975 to 1977 under president Gerald Ford, and again from 2001 to 2006 under Presi ...
.
Throughout his time in government, Wells became known for his transformational contributions in four broad areas:
*Network-Enabled Defense, Diplomacy and Development: Providing policy, oversight and guidance for the introduction of network-enabled capabilities across the Department of Defense.
*Emergency Preparedness: Aggressively promoting improvements in emergency preparedness and disaster relief, building capacity ahead of crises to mitigate damage, and engaging with non-traditional partners. He also holds several inter-governmental advisory roles defining civil-military cooperation and promoting cross-disciplinary approaches, including reducing the vulnerability of humanitarian activities and Smart Cities
A smart city is a technologically modern urban area that uses different types of electronic methods and sensors to collect specific data. Information gained from that data is used to manage assets, resources and services efficiently; in return ...
to offensive cyberspace
Cyberspace is a concept describing a widespread interconnected digital technology. "The expression dates back from the first decade of the diffusion of the internet. It refers to the online world as a world 'apart', as distinct from everyday rea ...
operations.
*Technology-Policy Integration: Promoting research into the emerging and intersecting policy challenges of cyberspace operations, space
Space is the boundless three-dimensional extent in which objects and events have relative position and direction. In classical physics, physical space is often conceived in three linear dimensions, although modern physicists usually consider ...
, and robotics
Robotics is an interdisciplinary branch of computer science and engineering. Robotics involves design, construction, operation, and use of robots. The goal of robotics is to design machines that can help and assist humans. Robotics integrat ...
*East Asian and Middle Eastern security issues: Significant policy analyses related to the defense of Japan and the Persian Gulf
The Persian Gulf ( fa, خلیج فارس, translit=xalij-e fârs, lit=Gulf of Persis, Fars, ), sometimes called the ( ar, اَلْخَلِيْجُ ٱلْعَرَبِيُّ, Al-Khalīj al-ˁArabī), is a Mediterranean sea (oceanography), me ...
region, at the request of the US Department of Defense.
Civilian Awards
* 2014 - Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Medal for Distinguished Public Service
* 2012 - Inducted into the Wall of Excellence for US Naval Academy Oceanography
* 2008 - Woodrow Wilson Award
Woodrow Wilson Awards are given out in multiple countries each year by the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars of the Smithsonian Institution to individuals in both the public sphere and business who have shown an outstanding commitm ...
for Distinguished Government Service from Johns Hopkins University
* 2000, 2001, 2007 - Department of Defense Medal for Distinguished Public Service
The Department of Defense Medal for Distinguished Public Service is the highest award that is presented by the Secretary of Defense, to a private citizen, politician, non-career federal employee, or foreign national. It is presented for exception ...
(DoD's highest award to a private citizen) Third Award added a Silver Palm.
* 1995 - Browning School
The Browning School is an independent school for boys in New York City. It was founded in 1888 by John A. Browning. It offers instruction in grades kindergarten through 12th grade. The school is a member of the New York Interschool consortium.
...
Alumnus Achievement Award
* 1987 - The Explorers Club
The Explorers Club is an American-based international multidisciplinary professional society with the goal of promoting scientific exploration and field study. The club was founded in New York City in 1904, and has served as a meeting point fo ...
, elected a National Fellow
* 1976 - International Forest of Friendship The International Forest of Friendship is an arboretum and memorial forest beside Lake Warnock in Atchison, Kansas. It is a memorial to the men and women involved in aviation and space exploration, and open to the public daily.
The forest was star ...
Honoree
* 1975 - Tau Beta Pi
The Tau Beta Pi Association (commonly Tau Beta Pi, , or TBP) is the oldest engineering honor society and the second oldest collegiate honor society in the United States. It honors engineering students in American universities who have shown a ...
(Maryland Alpha chapter)—engineering honorary.
* 1966 - Sigma Pi Sigma
Sigma Pi Sigma (), founded at Davidson College on December 11, 1921, is the oldest and only American honor society for physics and astronomy. It is an organization within the Society of Physics Students and the American Institute of Physics and ...
(now the Society of Physics Students)
Military awards
* 1991 - Legion of Merit
The Legion of Merit (LOM) is a military award of the United States Armed Forces that is given for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements. The decoration is issued to members of the eight ...
Second Award
* 1980 - Defense Superior Service Medal
The Defense Superior Service Medal (DSSM) is a military decoration of the United States Department of Defense, which is presented to United States Armed Forces service members who perform superior meritorious service in a position of significant ...
* 1989 - Legion of Merit
The Legion of Merit (LOM) is a military award of the United States Armed Forces that is given for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements. The decoration is issued to members of the eight ...
First Award
* 1982 - Meritorious Service Medal A Meritorious Service Medal is an award presented to denote acts of meritorious service, and sometimes gallantry, that are worthy of recognition. Notable medals with similar names include:
*Meritorious Civilian Service Award
*Meritorious Service Med ...
* 1977 - Navy Achievement Medal
The Achievement Medal is a military Awards and decorations of the United States Armed Forces, decoration of the United States Armed Forces. The Achievement Medal was first proposed as a means to recognize outstanding achievement or meritorious se ...
* 1970 - Navy Commendation Medal
The Commendation Medal is a mid-level United States military decoration presented for sustained acts of heroism or meritorious service. Each branch of the United States Armed Forces issues its own version of the Commendation Medal, with a fifth ...
* 1970 - National Defense Service Medal
The National Defense Service Medal (NDSM) is a service award of the United States Armed Forces established by President Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1953. It is awarded to every member of the US Armed Forces who has served during any one of four sp ...
* 1986 - Battle "E" Ribbon
* 1968 - Vietnam Service Medal
The Vietnam Service Medal is a military award of the United States Armed Forces established on 8 July 1965 by order of President Lyndon B. Johnson. The medal is awarded to recognize service during the Vietnam War by all members of the U.S. A ...
* 1970 - Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal
The Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal, also known as the Vietnam Campaign Medal ( vi, Chiến Dịch Bội Tinh), is a South Vietnamese military campaign medal which was created in 1949, and awarded to French military personnel during the First ...
* 1991 - Southwest Asia Service Medal
The Southwest Asia Service Medal (SASM or SWASM) is a military award of the United States Armed Forces which was created by order of President George H.W. Bush on March 12, 1991. The award is intended to recognize those military service members ...
Personal life
He married Linda Marie Motta in New Bedford, MA in 1976. They have two children: Linton Wells III and Frank Motta Wells.
Publications
Wells has written widely on security studies in English and Japanese journals. He has also co-edited a series of books on international transformation and leader development.
Books
*Doughty, Ralph, Linton Wells II, and Theodore Hailes, eds. 2015. ''Innovative Learning: A Key to National Security'', Fort Leavenworth: The Army Press. .
*Wells, Linton II, Theodore C. Hailes, and Michael C. Davies. 2013.
Changing Mindsets to Transform Security: Leader Development for an Unpredictable and Complex World
', Washington: National Defense University, Center for Technology and National Security Policy.
*Kugler, Richard L. and Linton Wells II. 2013.
Strategic Shift: Appraising Recent Shifts in U.S. Defense Plans and Priorities
', Washington: National Defense University, Center for Technology and National Security Policy.
*Neal, Derrick and Linton Wells II, eds. 2010.
Capability Development in Support of Comprehensive Approaches
' Washington: National Defense University, Center for Technology and National Security Policy.
*Neal, Derrick, Henrik Friman, Ralph Doughty, and Linton Wells II, eds. 2009.
Crosscutting Issues in International Transformation: Interactions and Innovations among People, Organizations, Processes, and Technology
' Washington: National Defense University, Center for Technology and National Security Policy.
*Lacriox, Eric and Linton Wells II. 1997. ''Japanese Cruisers of the Pacific War''. Annapolis: Naval Institute Press. .
He has published more than 30 monographs, book chapters and articles, many of which are available from the National Defense University website.
References
External links
Documents available at the CTNSP web site
{{DEFAULTSORT:Wells, Linton
1946 births
Living people
United States Navy officers
American male writers
United States Department of Defense officials
Chief information officers
Date of birth missing (living people)
Browning School alumni
United States Naval Academy alumni
Johns Hopkins University alumni
George W. Bush administration personnel