William K. Lietzau | |
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William K. Lietzau-Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense Rule of Law & Detainee Policy.
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Nationality | United States |
Occupation | Attorney |
William K. Lietzau is an American lawyer, former U.S. Marine Corps Judge Advocate, and former government official. In September 2013 Lietzau resigned as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Rule of Law and Detainee Policy, after informing his staff in July.
Lietzau graduated in 1983 from the United States Naval Academy and was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant and infantry officer in the Marine Corps. He attended Yale Law School (Class of 1989).
He and his wife have two adult children.
After graduating from Yale, Lietzau continued his military service as a Marine Corps Judge Advocate. Although Marine Corps judge advocates often are assigned to non-legal jobs, Lietzau’s service was even more unusual. He began as an infantry officer and commanded a rifle company. He was the first lawyer to command a recruit training battalion, and immediately prior to being assigned to work for the National Security Council, Lietzau was the first judge advocate to command the Marine Corps installation at Henderson Hall (2007-2009).
Lietzau served in the Obama Administration as the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense (DASD) for Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Rule of Law and Detainee Policy. In this capacity, his official biography said he served as the principal advisor to the United States Secretary of Defense and the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy on matters ranging from creating a principled, credible, and sustainable detention policy for 21st century warfare, to balancing military and humanitarian interests with respect to specific weapons systems. He guided development of the Department’s role in rule of law capacity building and was lead for the Department in implementing the President’s National Action Plan on Women, Peace, and Security. He retired from the Marine Corps as a Colonel with 27 years of service prior to his appointment as DASD.