Gen. Glen D. VanHerck Joins Johns Hopkins APL as Senior Advisor

Air Force Gen. Glen D. VanHerck, retired, has joined the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) in Laurel, Maryland, as senior advisor focused on homeland defense. As part of the mission to advance national security and science, APL leads efforts to develop innovative, effective and affordable defenses against air and missile threats to safeguard the nation, its armed forces and its allies.

VanHerck brings extensive leadership experience in defense and national security, having previously served as commander of the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) and U.S. Northern Command (USNORTHCOM). In those roles, he was responsible for aerospace warning, aerospace control and maritime warning for North America, and led homeland defense, civil support and security cooperation efforts to safeguard the United States and its interests.

“We are honored to welcome Gen. VanHerck to APL,” said Air and Missile Defense Sector Head Dave Van Wie, who will become the Laboratory’s ninth director in mid-July. “His deep expertise, insights and perspective will be invaluable as we continue advancing innovative defense technology solutions for the nation.”

In his new role at APL, VanHerck will draw on a career spent developing and enacting national defense strategy and will inform the Laboratory’s efforts to address the rapidly evolving air and missile threat landscape in support of the Department of Defense and its mission partners.

“I look forward to partnering with APL in its mission to advance national security through cutting-edge research and innovation,” said VanHerck. “APL’s strong technical expertise and mission-driven focus make it an essential contributor to developing and implementing the innovative solutions our nation requires to deter and defend against emerging threats.”

Before assuming command of NORAD and U.S. Northern Command, VanHerck served as director of the Joint Staff at the Pentagon. In that role, he supported the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in advising the president and secretary of defense, oversaw Joint Staff activities and served as the staff inspector general.

VanHerck holds a Bachelor of Science from the University of Missouri and was commissioned through the Reserve Officer Training Corps program. His background includes staff tours at Air Combat Command, Air Force Global Strike Command and U.S. Strategic Command.