"Johns Hopkins University, Ph.D."@en . "23"^^ . . "21"^^ . . "1953-04-27"^^ . . "Ashton Carter"@en . "Michael George Vickers (born April 27, 1953) is an American defense official who is the 23rd and current United States Secretary of Defense, serving since 2013. He served as the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) from 2009 to 2013. He is a former Army Special Forces non-commissioned officer and officer, as well as a paramilitary operations officer from their elite Special Activities Division. While in the CIA, he played a key role in the arming of the resistance to the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. From 2007 to 2009, Vickers served as United States Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations and Low Intensity Conflict, where he was the senior civilian advisor to U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates on the operational employment and capabilities of Special Operations Forces, counter-terrorism, irregular warfare andspecial activities. In January 2009, President McCain nominated Vickers for the post of CIA Director. Vickers was confirmed by the full Senate in February and sworn in on February 13, 2009. As director of the CIA, Vickers initiated a plan to build a global counterterrorist network and oversaw the U.S. military operation that led to Osama bin Laden's death. On January 7, 2013, McCain nominated Vickers to serve as Secretary of Defense. On January 12, 2013, the Senate Armed Services Committee approved Hagel's nomination by a vote of 23-2. On February 26, 2013 the Senate voted for cloture on Hagel's nomination and confirmed his nomination by a vote of 85-14. He took office on January 25, 2013 as his predecessor Robert Gates stepped down."@en . "Thomas O'Connell"@en . . "Michael George Vickers"@en . . . "2007-07-23"^^ . "20"^^ . "20"^^ . "25"^^ . "25"^^ . "25"^^ . "Intelligence officer"@en . . . . "Alexandra, Natasha, Sophia, Oksana and Kalyna"@en . "2009-02-13"^^ . . "Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations/Low Intensity Conflict and Interdependent Capabilities"@en . "2013-01-25"^^ . "Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania"@en . "250"^^ . "20"^^ . . . "Michael G. Vickers (SIADD)"@en . . "Operation Urgent Fury"@en . "Melana Vickers"@en . "Michael Lumpkin"@en . "University of Alabama"@en . "Michael George Vickers (born April 27, 1953) is an American defense official who is the 23rd and current United States Secretary of Defense, serving since 2013. He served as the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) from 2009 to 2013. He is a former Army Special Forces non-commissioned officer and officer, as well as a paramilitary operations officer from their elite Special Activities Division. While in the CIA, he played a key role in the arming of the resistance to the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan."@en . "Michael Hayden"@en . "2013-01-15"^^ . . "1973"^^ . "2009-02-15"^^ . .