October 19, 2018
Beacon Global Strategies
Attn: General Counsel’s Office
2101 L St NW
Washington, DC 20037
Dear General Counsel of Beacon Global Strategies:
The Project On Government Oversight (POGO) is creating a Department of Defense Revolving
Door Database on its website (pogo.org), which compiles information from public resources
regarding former senior Department of Defense officials and military officers who went on to
work for government contractors, including Beacon Global Strategies, from 2008 to the present.
The database is an attempt to track individuals when they leave the Department of Defense, and
inclusion in the database does not represent anything illegal or a violation of ethics rules. I have
enclosed the findings relevant to Beacon Global Strategies and am requesting verification or
refutation of the data from you.
Any response would be greatly appreciated, as the accuracy of this information is in the best
interest of all parties. When a precise start date was not publicly available POGO chose the first
day of the month the employee said they began working for Beacon Global Strategies. POGO is
also interested in any related ethics opinions issued for current or former Beacon Global
Strategies personnel in compliance with the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year
2008, Public Law 110-181, Sec. 847 and certifications of compliance as required by Defense
Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) subpart 252.203-7005; 41 U.S.C. §
2105(c). Please be assured that out of fairness to Beacon Global Strategies, any response
received by POGO will be posted on the website along with the data if you so choose.
If you have any questions, I can be reached at (202) 347-1122 or msmithberger@pogo.org.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
Mandy Smithberger
Director, Center for Defense Information

 Enclosure
Revolving Door Instances
1. Individual: David R. Shedd
Approximate Date Joined Beacon Global Strategies: June 3, 2015
Synopsis: David R. Shedd was Acting Director of the Defense Intelligence Agency
(DIA) until 2015, and was previously Deputy for Policy, Plans, and Requirements for
the Director of National Intelligence (DNI). He joined the board of advisors for the
defense consulting firm Beacon Global Strategies later in 2015, along with the board
of Pentagon contractor Noblis. According to a 2013 Defense News article, Beacon's
clients are "primarily defense contractors" but not listed "because of nondisclosure
agreements." The Verge reported Dataminr, another company Shedd serves on the
board of, hired Beacon to sell its surveillance services to foreign governments.
Documents to Include:
http://www.dia.mil/About/Leadership/Article-View/Article/567052/david-r-shedd/
https://bgsdc.com/category/announcements/
https://web.archive.org/web/20170627124512/http:/www.noblis.org/noblismedia?u=NoblisNSP-DShedd
https://www.scribd.com/document/320328834/Defense-News-Beacon-GlobalStrategies
https://www.theverge.com/2017/1/19/14310498/dataminr-twitter-news-tool-beaconlobbying-foreign-surveillance
2. Individual: Derek Chollet
Approximate Date Joined Beacon Global Strategies: March 16, 2015
Synopsis: From 2012 to 2015 Derek Chollet was U.S. Assistant Secretary of Defense
for International Security Affairs. He joined defense consulting firm Beacon Global
Strategies as an Advisor in March 2015. According to a 2013 Defense News article,
their clients are "primarily defense contractors" but not listed "because of
nondisclosure agreements."
Documents to Include:
https://bgsdc.com/team/derek-chollet/
https://bgsdc.com/category/announcements/
https://www.scribd.com/document/320328834/Defense-News-Beacon-GlobalStrategies
3. Individual: Admiral James A. Winnefeld, Jr. (USN Ret.)
Approximate Date Joined Beacon Global Strategies: December 8, 2015
Synopsis: Admiral James A. Winnefeld, Jr. retired as Vice Chairman of the Joint
Chiefs of Staff in 2015. He joined the boards of defense consultant group Beacon
Global Strategies in 2015 and of major Pentagon contractor Raytheon in 2017.
Beacon Global Strategies provides advice to defense and intelligence contractors.
Documents to Include:
https://www.defense.gov/News/Article/Article/612732/dod-leaders-salute-winnefeldat-retirement-ceremony/
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 https://bgsdc.com/category/announcements/
http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/james-a-sandy-winnefeld-jr-elected-toraytheon-board-of-directors-300392477.html
4. Individual: Admiral James G. Stavridis (USN Ret.)
Approximate Date Joined Beacon Global Strategies: September 4, 2014
Synopsis: Retired Admiral Stavridis retired as commander of European Command
and as Supreme Allied Commander, Europe in 2013. A year later he joined the
advisory board for defense contractor consulting firm Beacon Global Strategies. He
also became chair of Pentagon contractor Northrop Grumman's International
Advisory Board. Beacon Global Strategies provides advice to defense contractors and
other businesses.
Documents to Include:
https://www.stripes.com/news/breedlove-assumes-command-at-eucom-stavridisretires-1.220425#.WYDjYIjyuUk
https://bgsdc.com/category/announcements/
http://investor.northropgrumman.com/news-releases/news-release-details/warrenking-joins-northrop-grumman-international-advisory-board
5. Individual: Jeremy Bash
Approximate Date Joined Beacon Global Strategies: April 30, 2013
Synopsis: Jeremy Bash was Chief of Staff to Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta from
2011 to April 19, 2013. Later that year he founded Beacon Global Strategies, a
consulting firm for defense contractors. In 2013, POGO wrote about how Bash's ties
to the defense industry were not disclosed as he advocated for military action in
Syria. According to Fox News, Beacon Global Strategies registered as an LLC in
April 2013. According to a 2013 Defense News article, their clients are "primarily
defense contractors" but not listed "because of nondisclosure agreements."
Documents to Include:
https://bgsdc.com/team/jeremy-b-bash/
http://foreignpolicy.com/2013/04/19/hagel-just-announced-mark-lippert-for-chief-ofstaff-are-the-boston-bombing-suspects-chechen-hagel-to-the-middle-east-dempseyto-asia-what-will-dempsey-talk-about-jeremy-bashs-last-day/
https://www.pogo.org/analysis/2013/10/syria-debate-skewed-by-undisclosed-defenseindustry-ties
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2014/03/24/revolving-door-ties-betweenconsultancy-govt-raise-questions-about-benghazi.html
https://www.scribd.com/document/320328834/Defense-News-Beacon-GlobalStrategies
6. Individual: Mark Simakovsky
Approximate Date Joined Beacon Global Strategies:
Synopsis: Mark Simakovsky was Russia Country Director and later Europe/NATO
Chief of Staff in the Office of the Secretary of Defense for Policy. In that role,
according to his official biography, he drafted the Department of Defense's Russia
strategy. According to his LinkedIn and official company profile he left that position
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 to join defense consulting company Beacon Global Strategies LLC in February 2015.
According to a 2013 Defense News article, Beacon's clients are "primarily defense
contractors" but not listed "because of nondisclosure agreements."
Documents to Include:
https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/4572592-Mark-Simakovsky-LinkedIn-73-18.html
https://bgsdc.com/team/mark-simakovsky/
https://www.scribd.com/document/320328834/Defense-News-Beacon-GlobalStrategies
7. Individual: General John F. Kelly (USMC Ret.)
Approximate Date Joined Beacon Global Strategies: October 1, 2016
Synopsis: General John F. Kelly (USMC Ret.) was the commander of U.S. Southern
Command (SOUTHCOM), retiring at the beginning of 2016. According to 2016
government ethics forms, he was an advisor to Pentagon contractor Dyncorp
International and Pentagon contractor consulting firm Beacon Global Strategies. He
later became Secretary of Homeland Security and is currently White House chief of
staff to President Trump. Beacon Global Strategies is a firm that provides consulting
services to a number of defense and intelligence contractors. Kelly received $12,500
for his work there in 2016, according to his ethics form.
Documents to Include:
https://www.defense.gov/About/Biographies/Biography-View/Article/602724/john-fkelly/
http://www.npr.org/2015/12/21/460536746/gen-john-kelly-to-retire-next-month
https://extapps2.oge.gov/201/Presiden.nsf/PAS+Index/17C9E23321E9A56C852580B
9006C105E/$FILE/Kelly,%20John%20F.%20Final%20Amended278.pdf
8. Individual: Leon E. Panetta
Approximate Date Joined Beacon Global Strategies: May 27, 2014
Synopsis: Leon E. Panetta was Secretary of Defense from July 2011 to February
2013. He previously was the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency. During the
Clinton administration he was also White House chief of staff and director of the
Office of Mamangement and Budget. Shortly after leaving the Department of Defense
he joined the International Advisory Board of defense PR firm Fleishman Hillard. He
became a Senior Counsel at defense contractor consultant group Beacon Global
Strategies in May 2014. According to a 2013 Defense News article, Beacon's clients
are "primarily defense contractors" but not listed "because of nondisclosure
agreements." Beacon Global Strategies advises defense and intelligence contractor
clients.
Documents to Include:
https://www.defense.gov/About/Biographies/Biography-View/Article/602799/
http://fleishmanhillard.com/2013/05/news-and-opinions/leon-panetta-joinsfleishmanhillards-international-advisory-board/
https://bgsdc.com/category/announcements/page/2/

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 https://www.scribd.com/document/320328834/Defense-News-Beacon-GlobalStrategies
9. Individual: Deborah Lee James
Approximate Date Joined Beacon Global Strategies: July 1, 2017
Synopsis: Deborah Lee James was the Secretary of the Air Force from 2013 to 2017
before joining the board of Air Force contractor Textron. She also joined the boards
of Unisys Corporation and Noblis Inc. and took advisory positions with Bain and
Company and Beacon Global Strategies later that year. According to her LinkedIn
profile, James became a Member of the Beacon Global Strategies Advisory Board in
July 2017.
Documents to Include:
http://www.af.mil/About-Us/Biographies/Display/Article/467806/deborah-lee-james/
http://investor.textron.com/news/news-releases/press-release-details/2017/TextronElects-Deborah-Lee-James-to-Board-of-Directors/default.aspx
https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/4572033-Deborah-Lee-James-LinkedIn6-12-18.html

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