David Bruce Shear | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Principal Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Policy | |
| In office July 1, 2015 – January 20, 2017 | |
| President | Barack Obama |
| Preceded by | Brian P. McKeon |
| Succeeded by | David Trachtenberg |
| Assistant Secretary of Defense for Asian and Pacific Security Affairs | |
| In office July 2014 – June 2016 | |
| President | Barack Obama |
| Deputy | Claire A. Pierangelo |
| Preceded by | Peter R. Lavoy (acting) |
| Succeeded by | Kelly E. Magsamen (acting) |
| United States Ambassador to Vietnam | |
| In office August 4, 2011 – August 8, 2014 | |
| President | Barack Obama |
| Preceded by | Virginia E. Palmer |
| Succeeded by | Ted Osius |
| Personal details | |
| Born | May 24, 1954 Cobleskill, New York |
| Education | Earlham College (BA) Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (MA) |
David Bruce Shear (born May 25, 1954)[1] is an American diplomat who was a career Foreign Service Officer.[2] Shear served as the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Asian and Pacific Security Affairs from July 2014 to June 2016.[3] Prior to his nomination for this position, he served as United States Ambassador to Vietnam. [4] He was also formerly deputy assistant secretary for East Asian and Pacific affairs at the U.S. Department of State;[5] he joined the State Department in 1982 and has served in Washington, Sapporo, Beijing, Kuala Lumpur and Tokyo.[5]
Born in Cobleskill, New York, Shear attended Clayton A. Bouton High School, graduating in 1971. He is a graduate of Earlham College with a B.A. degree in 1975. Shear also has a M.A. degree in international affairs from the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies in 1982, and was a Rusk Fellow at Georgetown University's Institute for the Study of Diplomacy.[1][5] He served as United States Ambassador to Vietnam from 2011 until leaving office in 2014.
Shear is a black belt in kendo.[4] He and his wife Barbara have a daughter.[4] He speaks Chinese and Japanese.[6]
