Mr. Coyt D. Hargus is a retired Foreign Affairs Officer (FAO) now serving as ACC’s Deputy Director of International Affairs (POLAD) and as a Foreign Policy Advisor to the Commander of Air Combat Command (COMACC), Langley Air Force Base, VA. As Deputy, he assists the POLAD in his capacity as the command focal point and advisor to COMACC, subordinate commanders, and ACC senior staff on political-military affairs, policy analysis and global US strategic interests. Mr. Hargus routinely represents the command in the development of USAF Irregular Warfare doctrine and Building Partnerships and Building Partnership Capacity policy development. He routinely communicates with other nations, and throughout the interagency, as required to ensure the flow of information on matters which impact the command.
The former commander of US Army parachute infantry and special operations units, he earned designation as a Middle East FAO and has since served throughout the US Government in a variety of strategic intelligence and international affairs postings, including assignments in the Middle East and Africa, as well as in NATO and the Department of Homeland Security. In addition to his vast experience throughout the Middle East and North Africa, he has served in the Jordanian and Yemeni embassies.
Mr. Hargus has served as a university professor and routinely lectures intelligence/national security officials on Arab culture, Islam, fundamentalism and counter-terrorism. He is a long-term member of the FAO Association and was recently elected to serve on its Board of Governors. He further serves the FAO Association as Senior Editor of its professional journal, International Affairs. He is a published author on Mid-East national security matters.
EDUCATION:
1986 Bachelor of Science in Mathematics/Engineering, Arkansas Technical University, AR
1997 Graduate (Modern Standard Arabic), Defense Language Institute, Monterey, CA
1998 Graduate, Advanced Officer’s Tactics Course, Amman, Jordan
2000 Master of Arts in Middle Eastern Studies, University of Texas, Austin, TX
2007 Homeland Security Intelligence Officer Course, Federal Law Enforcement Center, GA
AWARDS AND HONORS:
- While an Army officer, Mr. Hargus earned the Combat Infantry Badge, Ranger Tab, Master Parachutist Badge, Air Assault Badge and numerous decorations/combat patches
- His foreign honors include parachutist badges and awards from Jordan, Tajikistan, Argentina, Honduras, The Czech Republic, Norway, Sweden, New Zealand, Poland, Lithuania and others
- He was further honored with membership in Psi Kappa Psi for academic achievement
