RELEASE NUMBER: 130315-01
DATE POSTED: MARCH 15, 2013
USASOC political advisor Hearne receives presidential commission
By Jerry Green
USASOC Public Affairs
FORT BRAGG, N.C. (USASOC News Service, March 15, 2013) - The commissioning document began with the wording, "Reposing special trust and confidence in your Integrity, Prudence and Ability, I have nominated and, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, do appoint you the title, Consular in the Diplomatic Service of the United States of America, signed Barack Obama, President of the United States."
With that, Dennis Hearne, Senior Foreign Service Officer in the U.S. Department of State, was commissioned to the grade equivalence of a one-star general. A 27-year veteran with the State Department, Hearne is the Foreign Political Advisor to the United States Army Special Operations Command.
Officiating the ceremony, Lt. Gen. Charles Cleveland, U.S. Army Special Operations commander, praised Hearne's accomplishments since his arrival at the command in August 2012.
“Mr. Hearne is an essential member of the USASOC in his role as Political Advisor, “said Richard Holcomb, Deputy Commander at USASOC. “He is an outstanding liaison with the State Department and other US Government Agencies. His valuable insight, experience and wisdom make a significant difference at every level within the Command's strategic, operational, and tactical actions.”
A native of North Carolina, Hearne entered the United States Foreign Service in 1985 after receiving a Bachelor of Arts degree from Wake Forest University. Fluent in the Croatian and Portuguese, Hearne has held several positions overseas, and his extensive political experience was essential when serving as a political advisor in Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina in the 1990s. He later worked with the International Criminal Tribunal war crimes commission for the former Yugoslavia, and recently, the political advisor for the Commanding General of all U.S. and coalition forces in eastern Afghanistan.
Among his other assignments, Hearne held posts with the Bureau of European Affairs and with the Bureau of Political Military Affairs in the Department of State. Hearne was stationed as Counselor of Political Affairs at the U.S. Embassy in Brasilia, and United States Consul General in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, before arriving at USASOC.
Hearne is the first Political Advisor for USASOC. "Mine is one of the many political advisor positions spread throughout the military commands and a reflection of the way the relationships between the Department of State and military have deepened due to the different situations we face today," said Hearne.
"The Career Foreign Services Officer Corps is like military officers, we are presidentially commissioned, and this appointment today was especially rewarding," said Hearne.
Hearne, is a five time recipient of the State Department's Superior Honor Award and two Meritorious Honor Awards.