Affiliated Fellows

John Young, Senior Fellow and Member, Board of Regents

JYoungThe Honorable John Young, former Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics, is a Senior Fellow and Member of the Board of Regents of the Potomac Institute for Policy Studies.

Mr. Young’s distinguished career includes past positions as Director, Defense Research and Engineering (DDR&E); and Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research, Development, and Acquisition (ASN(RDA)).  Prior to these Senate-confirmed positions, Mr. Young served ten years as a professional staff member of the Senate Defense Appropriations Committee, Subcommittee on Defense.

During his tenure at the Department of Defense, Mr. Young led the Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) Vehicle Program at the direction of Defense Secretary Gates.  Additional accomplishments include guiding the Biometrics Task Force, establishing the Reliance 21 science and technology oversight process, guiding the SSGN Submarine Conversion program, securing the Virginia Class Submarine multi-year contract, and leading the unprecedented swap of DDG-51 destroyers and LPD-17 amphibious ships between two industry ship yards.

Mr. Young is an Aerospace Engineering graduate of the Georgia Institute of Technology and received a Master's Degree in Aeronautics and Astronautics from Stanford University.