As Vice President for National Strategies Support (NSS), Mr. James I. Player leads the operations of two mission areas and nine divisions providing professional services for clients in support of their roles and responsibilities in implementing national security strategies. Among their many duties, NSS analysts inform client decisions leading to policy formulation, strategy development, planning implementation, and operational execution. They focus on mission needs that support national strategies intended to defend the United States, protect the American people, and enhance our government. Particular emphasis is on supporting our nation’s ability to fight the war on terrorism, counter weapons of mass destruction (WMD), and conduct homeland defense missions. Mr. Player leads ANSER’s support in addressing complex issues within our Mission Areas of Mission Assurance and Global Threats and Intelligence.

Mr. Player leads a multidisciplinary team of policy, operations, technical, and research analysts and manages projects supporting the Office of the Secretary of Defense, the Joint Staff, combatant commands, the Air Force, the Army, the Marine Corps, Defense Agencies, the National Guard, other federal departments such as the Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Justice, the Intelligence Community, and state government functions. He has directed staff and managed projects at all levels of military operations, including a joint combatant command, Air Force major command, and Air Force headquarters. He is experienced in intercontinental ballistic missile operations, war planning, strategic long-range planning, strategy and concept development, and requirements analysis, and he is knowledgeable of arms control regimes, limitations, and force structure impacts. He directed military and civilian contractor staff in developing the Air Force initiative to counter the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.

Mr. Player has over 31 years of comprehensive experience as a business leader and manager, defense senior policy analyst, and Air Force officer. Before his promotion to corporate officer and Vice President for NSS, he directed ANSER’s business operations in the Joint Operations market space, developing this body of work into a marquee mission area. He also managed ANSER’s International Security Division, ANSER’s flagship division for diversification of business and the incubator for half a dozen new divisions.

Prior to his military retirement and subsequently joining the Analytic Services Inc. team, Mr. Player served with distinction as the Headquarters Air Force Chief of Strategy and Concepts in the Nuclear and Counter-Proliferation Directorate. In this role, Mr. Player led Air Force efforts to institutionalize mission tasks and requirements at all levels of command to counter the increasing threat of weapons of mass destruction. He led the development of a first-of-its-kind Counter Chemical and Biological Weapons Roadmap and Master Plan and provided expert advice and counsel to the Secretary of the Air Force and Chief of Staff.

Mr. Player also served as a key member of the United States Strategic Command Implementation Team and Provisional Headquarters. In this role, he planned and supervised activities required to establish the United States Strategic Command and its roles, missions, command relationships, and organization. He edited the 1997 U.S. Air Force Counter-Proliferation Master Plan and co-authored a 1994 U.S. Strategic Command white paper, “Nuclear Forces … Strategies for Transition,” and the 1991 U.S. Strategic Command Implementation Plan.

Mr. Player holds a master of arts degree in human resources management and development from Chapman University and a bachelor of science degree from the United States Air Force Academy. He received specialized training in Minuteman III missile combat operations and emergency war order operations, and he completed courses of study at the Squadron Officer School and from the Marine Corps Command and Staff College, the Air Command and Staff College, the Air Force Inspector General School, the Department of Energy Nuclear Non-Proliferation Course, and the Air Force Arms Control Course. He has also completed the Developing the Strategic Leader executive course with the Center for Creative Leadership.