Peter J. Beshar was sworn in as the General Counsel of the Department of the Air Force during a Pentagon ceremony March 18, following his confirmation to the role by the U.S. Senate, March 10.
Prior to his confirmation, Beshar served as the executive vice president and general counsel of the global professional services firm Marsh McLennan. Among his career highlights, Beshar was appointed by President Barack Obama as a trustee of the Wilson Center for International Scholars in 2015, served as the special assistant to former Secretary of State Cyrus Vance in the peace negotiations in the former Yugoslavia, and spearheaded initiatives to assist veterans with employment opportunities and access to housing, disability and other benefits.
In his newest capacity, Beshar is the Department of the Air Force's chief ethics official and legal officer, providing oversight, guidance and direction to more than 2,600 Air Force military and civilian lawyers worldwide.
Beshar joins the Department as it implements requirements in the 2022 National Defense Authorization Act and recommendations from a Department of Defense independent review commission aimed at bolstering the specialized resources available to investigate and prosecute certain offenses such as murder, sexual assault, and domestic violence.
"The Department is extremely fortunate to have Peter joining our team," said Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall. "The breadth and depth of his career, coupled with his leadership experience, will be instrumental to navigating the day-to-day legal matters impacting the Department and also to enacting the changes underway in line with the 2022 NDAA and IRC goals. One team, one fight."
