R. Timothy Ziemer

Last updated
R. Timothy Ziemer
Official Naval portrait of Rear Admiral (lower half) Robert T. Ziemer.jpg
Ziemer in 1996
Senior Director for Global Health Security and Biothreats, U.S. National Security Council
In office
April 2017 May 8, 2018
Preceded byOffice established
Succeeded byKenneth Staley
Personal details
Born
Robert Timothy Ziemer

1946 (age 7677)
Sioux City, Iowa, U.S.
Alma mater Wheaton College
Military career
Allegiance United States of America
Service/branchFlag of the United States Navy (official).svg  United States Navy
Rank Rear Admiral

R. Timothy Ziemer (born 1946) [1] is an American retired naval officer. He was a U.S. Navy helicopter pilot in the Vietnam War, commanded several squadrons and an air wing during the First Gulf War, and completed his Navy career as commander of the Navy's Mid-Atlantic Region, with the rank of rear admiral. After retiring he became an expert in global disaster response and health threats. He led the President's Malaria Initiative from 2006 until 2017, then joined the National Security Council as the director in charge of global health security and biothreats, serving until May 8, 2018, when the position was abolished by the Trump administration.

Contents

Early life and education

He was born in Sioux City, Iowa. [2] The son of Christian missionaries, he grew up in Buôn Ma Thuột in what was then French Indochina (now Vietnam). Ziemer was fluent in Rade, the local language. In 1968, as he was about to graduate from Wheaton College, his father and five other missionaries were killed, his mother was wounded, and the missionary compound was destroyed during a major battle connected to the Tet Offensive of the Vietnam War. [3]

Upon graduation from Wheaton College with a B.A. degree in history, [4] Ziemer joined the United States Navy and became a Navy pilot. His first duty assignment was to fly helicopter gunships in South Vietnam [2] with the Seawolves of HA(L)-3. [3] He flew 550 missions in support of Navy SEALs and riverboat operations. [5] Staying in the Navy, he moved up through the ranks. He commanded several squadrons and an air wing during the first Gulf War. On September 12, 1992, he became commander of Mayport Naval Station. [6] [7] Ziemer also taught at the Naval War College, and he served as deputy director for operations at the National Military Command Center (NMCC) on the Joint Staff J-3 directorate. His final assignment was as commander of Navy Region Mid-Atlantic, headquartered in Norfolk, Virginia, which provides shore support for the largest naval complex in the world. [8]

Post-Navy career

Ziemer in 2018 Tim-Ziemer.jpg
Ziemer in 2018

Retiring from the Navy after 30 years, [5] he became vice president of the Arlington Institute, a think tank specializing in futures studies. He then became the executive director of World Relief, a global evangelical Christian humanitarian organization focusing on disaster relief, maternal and child health, and HIV/AIDS programs. [8]

In 2006 President George W. Bush appointed him to lead the President's Malaria Initiative, which Bush had launched in 2005. This was an ambitious proposal to reduce the death toll from malaria in targeted African countries by 50%. [8] Ziemer had contracted malaria himself as a child while living in French Indochina. [2] In 2008, the program was expanded to additional countries in Africa as well as portions of Southeast Asia. [9] He continued to serve as U.S. Global Malaria Coordinator until 2017. [10] In his eleven years running the agency he established protocols for prevention and treatment that included "free distribution of insecticide-treated nets, indoor pesticide spraying, routine doses of malaria medicine for pregnant women, rapid blood tests for diagnosis, and a new fast-acting drug with one of the several longer-lasting drugs for treatment." [2] During his tenure, worldwide malaria deaths dropped by 40%. [3]

In 2017, Ziemer joined President Donald Trump's National Security Council as Senior Director for Global Health Security and Biothreats. [10] His responsibilities in the role included preparedness against infectious diseases, including leading the response in case of a pandemic and strategies for defense against biological weapons. [11] On May 8, 2018, he unexpectedly left the post and his position was abolished by the newly appointed National Security Advisor John Bolton, in what Bolton described as part of a plan to streamline the National Security Council and merge duplicate offices. [12] [13] [14] [15] As part of the restructuring, [15] the global health security directorate led by Ziemer was disbanded, [11] and folded into a new directorate focusing on counterproliferation and biodefense. [15] While several staffers of the former Directorate for Global Health Security and Biodefense remained at work in the new directorate or elsewhere in the NSC, [15] the effect of the change was that there was "no single official at the highest levels of the administration who focuses only on global health security." [11]

Ziemer then served as an administrator in the Bureau for Democracy, Conflict, and Humanitarian Assistance within the U.S. Agency for International Development. [5] [14] In May 2020, he announced he would retire on June 5. [16] [17]

Awards

While on active duty, Ziemer received multiple awards of the Legion of Merit, Meritorious Service Medal, Air Medal and Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal. [18]

Ziemer was awarded the 2015 Roger E. Joseph Prize by the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion for his work on the President's Malaria Initiative. [2] He was the commencement speaker for the Georgetown University Graduate School of Arts and Sciences in May 2015 and received the honorary degree of Doctor of Humane Letters. [19] Ziemer also received the 2015 Distinguished Service to Society Award from the alumni association of his alma mater, Wheaton College. [20]

Personal life

He is married to the former Jodi Evans, whom he has known since childhood; she was the daughter of missionaries stationed near Ziemer's family. [3]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United States National Security Council</span> U.S. federal executive national security and intelligence forum

The United States National Security Council (NSC) is the principal forum used by the president of the United States for consideration of national security, military, and foreign policy matters. Based in the White House, it is part of the Executive Office of the President of the United States, and composed of senior national security advisors and Cabinet officials.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Naval War College</span> Staff college for the United States Navy at Naval Station Newport in Newport, Rhode Island

The Naval War College is the staff college and "Home of Thought" for the United States Navy at Naval Station Newport in Newport, Rhode Island. The NWC educates and develops leaders, supports defining the future Navy and associated roles and missions, supports combat readiness, and strengthens global maritime partnerships.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">William J. Fallon</span> US Navy admiral

William Joseph Fallon is a retired United States Navy four-star admiral who retired after serving for over 41 years. His last military assignment was as Commander, U.S. Central Command from March 2007 to March 2008. ADM Fallon was the first Navy officer to hold that position. His other four-star assignments include Commander, U.S. Pacific Command from February 2005 to March 2007, Commander, U.S. Fleet Forces Command from October 2003 to February 2005, and 31st Vice Chief of Naval Operations from October 2000 to August 2003. On March 11, 2008, he announced his resignation from CENTCOM and retirement from active duty, citing administrative complications caused in part by an article in Esquire Magazine, which described him as the only thing standing between the Bush Administration and war with Iran.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">James G. Stavridis</span> US Navy admiral (born 1955)

James George Stavridis is a retired United States Navy admiral, currently vice chair, global affairs and managing director of the global investment firm the Carlyle Group, and chair of the board of trustees of the Rockefeller Foundation. Stavridis serves as the chief international diplomacy and national security analyst for NBC News in New York. He is also chair emeritus of the board of directors of the United States Naval Institute and a senior fellow at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory.

The Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security is an independent, nonprofit organization of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. The center works to protect people's health from epidemics and pandemics and ensures that communities are resilient to major challenges. The center is also concerned with biological weapons and the biosecurity implications of emerging biotechnology.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">James E. McPherson</span> American government official (born 1953)

James Edwin McPherson is an American government official and retired United States Navy rear admiral. He served as the General Counsel of the Army from January 2, 2018, to March 24, 2020. He served as the United States Under Secretary of the Army from March 25, 2020, to January 20, 2021, and in acting capacity from July 23, 2019, to March 24, 2020. He served as Acting United States Secretary of the Navy from April 7, 2020, to May 29, 2020, following the resignation of Thomas Modly.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zafar Mahmood Abbasi</span> 16th Naval Chief of Pakistan

Admiral Zafar Mahmood AbbasiNI(M) HI(M) SI(M) BJSN is a retired four-star admiral of the Pakistan Navy who served as the 16th Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS) of Pakistan Navy from 7 October 2017 until 7 October 2020.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brett Giroir</span> American physician-scientist (born 1960)

Brett P. Giroir is an American pediatrician. He was formerly the U.S. assistant secretary for health, a four-star admiral in the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps and an acting Food and Drug Administration commissioner.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Susan Brooks</span> American politician (born 1960)

Susan Lynn Brooks is an American prosecutor and politician. She is a Republican and the former U.S. Representative for Indiana's 5th congressional district. She was elected in 2012. The district includes the northern fifth of Indianapolis, as well as many of the city's affluent northern and eastern suburbs. Brooks served as the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana from 2001 to 2007.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tom Bossert</span> American presidential advisor (born 1975)

Thomas P. Bossert is an American lawyer and former Homeland Security Advisor to U.S. President Donald Trump. He is an ABC News Homeland Security analyst.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Timothy Gallaudet</span> American oceanographer (born 1967)

Timothy Cole Gallaudet is an American oceanographer who is a retired Rear Admiral in the United States Navy. Gallaudet previously served as the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere within the U.S. Department of Commerce. In this function, he fulfilled the role of Acting Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere and Acting Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) until February 24, 2019. He was the longest-tenured Acting Administrator of NOAA in the organization's history at the time he was replaced, but was subsequently surpassed by his successor, Neil Jacobs. Currently, he is the CEO of Ocean STL Consulting, LLC., and host of The American Blue Economy Podcast.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ajendra Bahadur Singh</span>

Vice Admiral Ajendra Bahadur Singh, PVSM, AVSM, VSM, ADC is a former flag officer of the Indian Navy. He last served as the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief (FOC-in-C), Western Naval Command from 29 November 2021 succeeding Vice Admiral R. Hari Kumar on his elevation. Previously, he served as the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief (FOC-in-C), Eastern Naval Command of the Indian Navy. He assumed the position on 1 March 2021 after the appointment of Vice Admiral Atul Kumar Jain as the Vice Chief of the Defence Staff. He was the Deputy Chief of Integrated Defence Staff and served Chief of Staff, Western Naval Command prior to this appointment.

The Coordinator of United States Government Activities to Combat Malaria Globally, known usually as the U.S. Global Malaria Coordinator, is an official overseeing all U.S. Government worldwide activities to combat malaria, most notably the President's Malaria Initiative. The position is presidentially appointed within the U.S. Agency for International Development. The current acting coordinator is Julie Wallace. For its first eleven years the post was occupied by Admiral Tim Ziemer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tim Morrison (presidential advisor)</span> American political advisor (born 1978)

Timothy Aaron Morrison is an American Republican political adviser. He was briefly the top U.S. adviser to President Trump on Russia and Europe on the White House National Security Council, a position he took over from his predecessor Fiona Hill in August 2019, and from which he resigned on October 31, 2019.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kenneth Bernard (public health officer)</span>

Rear Admiral Kenneth Bernard is an American public health physician and expert on biodefense and health security policy. He served at the George W. Bush White House from 2002-2005 as Special Assistant to the President for Biodefense and as Assistant Surgeon General.

Planning and preparing for pandemics has happened in countries and international organizations. The World Health Organization writes recommendations and guidelines, though there is no sustained mechanism to review countries' preparedness for epidemics and their rapid response abilities. National action depends on national governments. In 2005–2006, before the 2009 swine flu pandemic and during the decade following it, the governments in the United States, France, UK, and others managed strategic health equipment stocks, but they often reduced stocks after the 2009 pandemic in order to reduce costs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Keith Davids</span> American naval admiral (born 1968)

Keith Bently Davids is an American United States Navy special warfare officer with the rank of rear admiral. He has served as the commander of Naval Special Warfare Command since August 19, 2022. He was the commander of U.S. Special Operations Command South, United States Southern Command from 2020 to 2022. Previously, he served as director of the White House Military Office during the Presidency of Donald Trump. Earlier in his career, he was commanding officer of the Naval Special Warfare Center and SEAL Team One.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Elizabeth Cameron</span> American biodefense expert

Elizabeth Cameron is an American national security expert specializing in biosecurity, biodefense, and bioterrorism. She is a professor at the Pandemic Center of the Brown University School of Public Health. Previously, she served as Senior Director for Global Health Security and Biodefense on the White House National Security Council staff.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mohammad Musa</span>

Mohammad Musa is a two star military admiral of Bangladesh Navy. He is the incumbent Vice Chancellor of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Maritime University. Prior to joining here, he served as the Chairman of Mongla Port Authority. Prior to this appointment, he was Commander of Khulna Naval Area.

References

  1. Register of Commissioned and Warrant Officers of the United States Navy and Reserve Officers on the Active-Duty List. Bureau of Naval Personnel. October 1, 1984. p. 29. Retrieved 12 March 2021.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 "Rear Admiral Timothy Ziemer and the President's Malaria Initiative". The Roger E. Joseph Prize. 2015. Retrieved 5 March 2020.
  3. 1 2 3 4 McNeil, Donald G. Jr. (October 20, 2014). "Profiles in Science: The Malaria Fighter". The New York Times. Retrieved 7 March 2020.
  4. "Rear Admiral R. Timothy Ziemer '68, USN (Ret.)". Wheaton College Alumni Association. Retrieved 12 March 2021.
  5. 1 2 3 "Tim Ziemer, Senior Deputy Assistant Administrator". USAID. Archived from the original on 29 February 2020. Retrieved 7 March 2020.
  6. "Navy Plans to Consolidate Mayport Bases". The Miami Herald. April 12, 1992. p. 5B.
  7. "Norfolk Naval Base Command Changes". Daily Press (Newport News, Virginia). September 11, 1996. p. C3.
  8. 1 2 3 "R. Timothy Ziemer, Rear Admiral, United States Navy (Retired), President's Malaria Initiative Coordinator". The White House. Retrieved 6 March 2020.
  9. "About PMI". President's Malaria Initiative. Retrieved 6 March 2020.
  10. 1 2 "Rear Admiral Tim Ziemer Welcomes Dr. Kenneth Staley". President's Malaria Initiative (Press release). April 11, 2018. Retrieved 6 March 2020.
  11. 1 2 3 Sun, Lena H. (May 10, 2018). "Top White House official in charge of pandemic response exits abruptly". Washington Post.
  12. "As Ebola Returns, Top Pandemic Team Cut". The Washington Post. The Boston Globe. May 11, 2018. p. A7.
  13. Yong, Ed (May 11, 2018). "Ebola Returns Just as the White House Loses Its Top Biodefense Expert". The Atlantic. Retrieved 6 March 2020.
  14. 1 2 "Democrats' Misleading Coronavirus Claims". FactCheck.org . Annenberg Public Policy Center. March 3, 2020. Retrieved 10 March 2020.
  15. 1 2 3 4 Kessler, Glenn and Kelly, Meg. (20 March 2020). "Was the White House office for global pandemics eliminated?, Washington Post (March 20, 2020).
  16. Haltiwanger, John (May 5, 2020). "A top pandemic expert is leaving the Trump administration amid the coronavirus crisis". Business Insider . Retrieved May 5, 2020.
  17. Toosi, Nahal (May 5, 2020). "'Very difficult and emotional': Pandemic expert leaves Trump administration". Politico . Retrieved May 7, 2020.
  18. Rear Admiral (lower half) Robert T. Ziemer. Series: Combined Military Service Digital Photographic Files, 1921 - 2008. National Archives. February 21, 1996. Retrieved 12 March 2021.
  19. "Georgetown Announces Speakers for 2015 Commencement". Georgetown University. May 4, 2015. Retrieved 12 March 2021.
  20. Weber, Jeremy (Autumn 2015). "Hope in the Healer". Wheaton magazine. Vol. 18, no. 3. Wheaton College. Retrieved 12 March 2021.