Francis X. Taylor

Taylor was educated at the University of Notre Dame, graduating with a B.A. in government and international studies in 1970.{{cite web|url=https://www.af.mil/About-Us/Biographies/Display/Article/105370/brigadier-general-francis-x-taylor/ |title=Air Force Biography |publisher=Af.mil |access-date=August 7, 2014}} Taylor was involved in the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps during university and upon graduation, was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the United States Air Force. He became a trainee agent in the U.S. Air Force Office of Special Investigations (AFOSI), and then attended the U.S. Air Force Special Investigations School in Washington, D.C. From 1970 to 1972, he was a counterintelligence officer at the Middle East, Africa and South Asia Division at AFOSI. From 1972 to 1974, he attended the Air Force Institute of Technology at Notre Dame, receiving an M.A. in government and international studies in 1974.

Taylor spent 1974–76 in the Acquisition and Analysis Division of AFOSI's Directorate of Counterintelligence. In April 1976, he became chief of the Counterintelligence Acquisition and Analysis Branch in Ankara. He spent 1977–83 at Bolling AFB, D.C., becoming commander of AFOSI Detachment 411 in September 1977; chief of Resource Career Management Division in AFOSI's Directorate of Personnel in April 1979; and then commander of the Headquarters Squadron Section in October 1980. He then spent fall and winter 1983 at the Armed Forces Staff College.

File:Brig Gen Francis X Taylor.jpg.]]

In January 1984, Taylor became deputy director for operations in the Directorate of Counterintelligence and Investigative Programs in the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy. From July 1987 to July 1988, he studied at the Air War College. In July 1988, he became deputy commander of the 487th Combat Support Group at Comiso Air Station in Comiso. He became commander of AFOSI District 45 at Osan Air Base in July 1990; and then commander of AFOSI Region 2 at Langley Air Force Base in July 1992. He returned to Bolling AFB in August 1994 as director of mission guidance at Headquarters AFOSI.

In August 1995, he became director of special investigations in the Office of the Air Force Inspector General. He spent July 1996 through July 1998 as commander of AFOSI at Bolling AFB, D.C., where he was responsible for providing commanders of all Air Force activities independent professional investigative services in fraud, counterintelligence, and major criminal matters. In August 1998, Headquarters AFOSI moved to Andrews AFB, MD, in August 1998. Taylor has received numerous awards and decorations, including the Distinguished Service Medal, the Defense Superior Service Medal, and the Legion of Merit, Taylor retired from active duty on July 1, 2001.{{cite web|author=Wanja Eric Naef |url=http://www.iwar.org.uk/cyberterror/resources/threat-assessment/pj63bios.htm |title=iwar.org profile |publisher=Iwar.org.uk |access-date=January 17, 2012}}

Effective dates of promotion

In 2001, President George W. Bush nominated Taylor to be Coordinator for Counterterrorism, and Taylor subsequently held this office from July 13, 2001, until November 15, 2002. In this role, he was responsible for implementing U.S. counterterrorism policy overseas and coordinating the U.S. government response to international terrorist activities. In the aftermath of the September 11, 2001, attacks, he was a key advisor in assisting the President Bush and Secretary of State Colin Powell in forming the international coalition against terrorism and developing aggressive international policy implementation to defeat terrorism.

President Bush then nominated Taylor to be Assistant Secretary of State for Diplomatic Security and Director of the Office of Foreign Missions, with a rank of Ambassador. Taylor held this office from November 18, 2002, until February 19, 2005. As Assistant Secretary, Taylor oversaw all Department of State security programs that protect all U.S. government employees and buildings overseas from terrorist, criminal or technical attack, and ensure the integrity of classified national security information produced and stored in these facilities. Leading more than 32,500 US, foreign and contractor personnel, he provided security for all U.S. government employees assigned to over 250 U.S. embassies and consulates worldwide. The Ambassador also directed the law enforcement function of the Bureau, wherein Diplomatic Security Service special agents protect the Secretary of State and foreign dignitaries who visit the United States and conduct criminal investigations of violation of U.S. Visa and Immigration statutes. As Director of the Office of Foreign Missions, Taylor regulated the activities of foreign missions in the United States to protect the foreign policy and national security interests of the United States and safeguard the American public from abuses of privileges and immunities by diplomatic and consular officials.{{cite web |url=http://blogs.csoonline.com/measure_then_act_general_electric_cso_frank_taylor_on_the_importance_of_process_improvements |title=Measure, then Act: General Electric CSO Frank Taylor on the Importance of Process Improvements |publisher=CSO Security and Risk |access-date=March 20, 2012 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120702020231/http://blogs.csoonline.com/measure_then_act_general_electric_cso_frank_taylor_on_the_importance_of_process_improvements |archive-date=July 2, 2012 |url-status=dead }}

Taylor joined the General Electric Company as vice president and Chief Security Officer on March 7, 2005. He is responsible for overseeing GE's global security operations and crisis management processes.{{cite web|url=http://www.ge.com/ar2008/pdf/ge_ar2008_corporate_operating_mgmt.pdf |title=GE Corporate Staff Officers |publisher=GE.com |access-date=March 20, 2012}}

In 2006, Bush appointed Taylor to the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board.

On February 12, 2014, President Barack Obama announced his intent to nominate Taylor as the Under Secretary of Homeland Security for Intelligence and Analysis for the Department of Homeland Security.{{cite web|url=https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2014/02/12/president-obama-announces-more-key-administration-posts|work=whitehouse.gov|title=President Obama Announces More Key Administration Posts|date=February 12, 2014|via=National Archives|access-date=April 11, 2014}}

Taylor has also received numerous civilian awards and decorations, including the National Intelligence Distinguished Service Medal and the State Department Distinguished Honor Award.

On August 17, 2017, Taylor was named an executive fellow of the Global Policy Initiative in the new Keough School of Global Affairs at the University of Notre Dame.{{cite web|url=https://news.nd.edu/news/former-homeland-security-official-francis-taylor-joins-keough-school-of-global-affairs|title=Former Homeland Security official Francis Taylor joins Keough School of Global Affairs|date=August 17, 2017 |publisher=Renée LaReau|access-date=August 17, 2017}}{{cite web|url=https://keough.nd.edu/profile/francis-taylor|title=Francis Taylor, Executive Fellow, Global Policy Initiative|work=Keough School - University of Notre Dame |publisher=Renée LaReau|access-date=December 28, 2018}}

Taylor is married to Constance O. Taylor and together the couple have three children.{{citation needed|date=October 2020}}

In the 2024 United States presidential election, Taylor endorsed Kamala Harris.{{Cite web |title=NSL4A Endorses Kamala Harris for President of the United States|work=National Security Leaders for America |url=https://www.nsl4a.org/nsl4a-announcements/nsl4a-endorsement-harris |accessdate=Jan 25, 2025| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240922180040/https://www.nsl4a.org/nsl4a-announcements/nsl4a-endorsement-harris | archive-date=22 September 2024}}

• Bureau of Counterterrorism and Countering Violent Extremism

{{Portal bar|Biography|Politics}}

{{reflist|colwidth=30em}}

• {{C-SPAN|91223}}
• [https://www.af.mil/About-Us/Biographies/Display/Article/105370/brigadier-general-francis-x-taylor/ Biography] at U.S. Air Force
• [https://2001-2009.state.gov/outofdate/bios/t/4331.htm Biography] at U.S. Department of State
• [https://www.dhs.gov/archive/person/francis-x-taylor Biography] at U.S. Department of Homeland Security

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{{succession box|

before=William E. Terry Jr.|

title=Under Secretary of Homeland Security for Intelligence and Analysis|

after=David J. Glawe|

years=April 14, 2014 - January 20, 2017

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title=Member of Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board|

after=Rachel L. Brand|

years=March 14, 2006 – January 29, 2010

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before=David G. Carpenter|

title=Assistant Secretary of State for Diplomatic Security|

after=Richard J. Griffin|

years=November 18, 2002 – February 19, 2005

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{{S-mil}}

{{Succession box

|title = Commander of the Air Force Office of Special Investigations

|years = September 1996 – May 2001

|before = BG Robert A. Hoffmann

|after = BG L. Eric Patterson

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{{Commons category}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Taylor, Francis X.}}

Category:1948 births

Category:Living people

Category:University of Notre Dame alumni

Category:United States Air Force generals

Category:United States Air Force Office of Special Investigations

Category:United States assistant secretaries of state

Category:United States Department of Homeland Security

Category:United States Department of Homeland Security officials

Category:Recipients of the Order of the Sword (United States)

Category:Recipients of the Legion of Merit

Category:Directors of the Office of Foreign Missions

Category:United States ambassadors-at-large

Category:United States coordinators for counterterrorism