T3 B19 Kuster Interview Fdr- Entire Contents- 2 Withdrawal Notices- Email- Bio 041

WITHDRAWAL NOTICE RG: 148 Exposition, Anniversary, and Memorial Commissions SERIES: Team 3,9/11 Commission NND PROJECT NUMBER:

52100

FOIA CASE NUMBER: 31107

WITHDRAWAL DATE: 12/15/2008

BOX: 00006

FOLDER: 0001

COPIES: 1 PAGES:

TAB: 47

DOC ID: 31212215

2

The item identified below has been withdrawn from this file: FOLDER TITLE: Jenkins'/Hurley's Notes: [Kuster Inteview] DOCUMENT DATE:

DOCUMENT TYPE: Note/Notes

FROM: TO: SUBJECT:

notes on Kuster interview

This document has been withdrawn for the following reason(s): 9/11 Classified Information

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Thomas J. Kuster, Jr. Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Force Planning and Employment Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Homeland Defense The Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Force Policy and Employment is the principal assistant and advisor to the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Homeland Security on matters related to the defense of the United States and its territories from foreign aggression in the air, land, or maritime domains. Prior to assuming this responsibility in April, 2003, Mr. Kuster, a career member of the Senior Executive Service, was the Principal Director for Special Operations and Combating Terrorism in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations and Low-Intensity Conflict. Mr. Kuster began his government service in 1970 as an Infantry Lieutenant in the 82d Airborne Division. In 1973, he joined the 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne), beginning an association of over 20 years with special operations units and activities. A Spanish linguist, he served multiple special operations tours in Latin America advising foreign governments in counterinsurgency and counterterrorism, as well as assisting the efforts of democratic resistance in Nicaragua. Mr. Kuster has the unique distinction of being a "plank holder" in both the Joint Special Operations Agency and the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Special Operations and Low-Intensity Conflict, having been a member of the initial cadre that established each organization. He culminated his military career as State Department's Andean Counternarcotics Coordinator, advising U.S. Embassies and Host Nation security forces on paramilitary operations to confront the cartels and interdict the flow of illicit drugs into the United States. After his retirement in 1994, Mr. Kuster rejoined the Counterterrorism Office in the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Special Operations and Low-Intensity Conflict, where he exercised civilian oversight of a plethora of sensitive special operations, as well as guiding the crisis management activities of the Department in response to the East Africa bombings, the attack of the USS Cole, and others. On September 11th, 2001, Mr. Kuster and his team directed the OSD Crisis Coordination Center in support of the Secretary of Defense. Mr. Kuster is a native of New York City, graduating from lona College in New Rochelle, New York with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science. He holds a Master of Public Administration from Webster University in St. Louis, Missouri. Mr. Kuster is married to the former Kathleen Stapleton. He and Kathy reside in Burke, Virginia and have three grown children - Tom, Kristin, and Liz.

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Mike Hurley From:

Mike Hurley

Sent:

Tuesday, December 09, 2003 7:57 AM

To:

Philip Zelikow

Cc:

Stephanie Kaplan; Karen Heitkotter; Dan Leopold; Bonnie Jenkins; Mike Hurley

Subject: Interviewing Kuster

Philip: Wished to advise: • Bonnie and I are interviewing SOLIC's Tom Kuster this morning from 9:30 -11:30. • Conference Room was already booked with another interview. • We were advised that, as you'll be at NEOB from 9:00 -11:00 reviewing documents, your office was available; so we intend to interview Kuster there. If you walk back slowly from the NEOB we should have the Kuster interview wrapped up and be cleared out of your office by the time you return. Mike

12/9/2003

WITHDRAWAL NOTICE RG: 148 Exposition, Anniversary, and Memorial Commissions SERIES: Team 3,9/11 Commission NND PROJECT NUMBER:

52100

FOIA CASE NUMBER: 31107

WITHDRAWAL DATE: 12/15/2008

BOX: 00006

FOLDER: 0001

COPIES: 1 PAGES:

TAB: 39

DOC ID: 31209476

1

.

RESTRICTED>_J

The item identified below has been withdrawn from this file: FOLDER TITLE: JenkinsVHurley's Notes: Kuster Interview DOCUMENT DATE: 12/05/2003

DOCUMENT TYPE: E-Mail Printout/fProfs Notes)

FROM: Zelikow TO: Front Office SUBJECT:

Tom Kuster Interview and Naftali Monograph

This document has been withdrawn for the following reason(s): 9/11 Closed by Statute

WITHDRAWAL NOTICE