The Cohen Group: News: Archives: 2003: General Joseph Ralston, Former NATO Supreme Commander and Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Joins The Cohen Group


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March 18, 2003

General Joseph Ralston, Former NATO Supreme Commander and Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Joins The Cohen Group
Contact: Jared Caplan
(202) 689-7900

General Joseph W. Ralston, the former Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff who just completed a distinguished 37-year Air Force career by serving as the Supreme Allied Commander of NATO forces, has joined The Cohen Group as Vice Chairman.

"Joe Ralston is one of the most talented and gifted leaders I've ever known," said former U.S. Secretary of Defense William Cohen, Chairman and CEO of The Cohen Group, a strategic consulting group focused on international business issues. "His unparalleled skills from the world of national security and diplomacy will add tremendous depth to our already talented team."

General Ralston, a four-star Air Force general, had a stellar military career from his earliest days as a command pilot who flew 147 combat missions over North Vietnam and Laos and rising through some of the most significant positions a military officer can hold.

As head of NATO forces in Europe from 2000-2003, General Ralston commanded 65,000 troops from 39 NATO and other nations participating in ongoing operations in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Kosovo and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. He led the integration of Poland, the Czech Republic and Hungary into NATO in 1999 and oversaw the process under which seven additional central and eastern European nations are now being integrated into NATO . He also played a key role in strengthening NATO's dialogue and practical cooperation with Russia, Ukraine and the other former Soviet countries in Europe, the Caucasus, and Central Asia.

As Commander of the U.S. European Command during the same period, General Ralston was the senior U.S. military officer and commander of all US forces in 93 nations in Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. During his tenure, he deepened the command's role in Central Asia and the Caucasus through humanitarian missions and through military training assistance for Operation Enduring Freedom. He led the command in daily missions in the war against terrorism, from the streets of Bosnia to the waters of the Mediterranean, and oversaw air operations in the no-fly zone over Northern Iraq.

Previously, General Ralston served as Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (1996-2000), the nation's second highest-ranking military officer responsible for advising the President and the Secretary of Defense. In that capacity, General Ralston also chaired the powerful Joint Requirements Oversight Council (JROC), which oversaw procurement, research & development, operations & support, personnel and other military programs of the Department of Defense. He also served on the Deputies Committee, a White House-led interagency committee of senior subcabinet officials that met on a near-daily basis to craft and oversee implementation of US foreign policy and international security policy.

A native of Hopkinsville, Kentucky, General Ralston entered the Air Force in 1965 through the ROTC program upon graduation from Miami University in Ohio.

In addition to his full-time position as Vice Chairman of The Cohen Group, General Ralston has been nominated to join the boards of directors of Lockheed Martin of Bethesda, Maryland, and The Timken Company of Canton, Ohio. He is also serving as an on-air analyst for CBS News and is represented by Washington Speakers Bureau for speaking engagements. General Ralston was named a Distinguished Senior Advisor to the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, DC.

About The Cohen Group
The Cohen Group opened its doors in January 2001 with the objective of helping multinational clients identify and pursue opportunities around the world. A strategic alliance with Piper Rudnick, the national law firm specializing in business, real estate and technology, helps The Cohen Group maintain the unique ability to provide clients with truly comprehensive tools for understanding and shaping their business, political, legal, regulatory, and media environments. Since its start in early 2001, The Cohen Group has developed a team of skilled professionals of diverse backgrounds who serve a wide array of clients in the US, Europe, Asia, and Latin America. For more information, see www.cohengroup.net.

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