James Swartout is the Director of Communication, Planning, and Integration in the Office of the Secretary of Defense - Public Affairs. Previously he was a consultant and strategist for one of Washington D.C.'s premier strategic communications firms, the Glover Park Group. He specialized in defense/national security issues as well as general corporate strategy. In addition to his work in the private sector, Swartout has worked in the political and policy arenas for several years. He held a senior leadership position for the Truman National Security Project, where he focused on congressional, military and political affairs. Prior to his time at the Truman Project, he served as an aide covering veterans and military issues for U.S. Senator Max Baucus and concurrently served on the State of Montana’s Board of Veterans Affairs. Swartout is a veteran of numerous political campaigns and his most recent campaign experience was as a defense and veterans policy adviser for the Obama for America campaign. Swartout received a B.A. in history from the University of Portland and is a native of Montana.