Jeffrey Harbeson

Who is Jeffrey Harbeson?

Jeffrey Harbeson is an officer in the United States Navy. He is notable for being denied a visa to visit Russia due to concerns his appointment as a commandant of Joint Task Force Guantanamo, the organization that runs the Guantanamo Bay detention camps required him to oversee human rights abuses. In June 2010 Rear Admiral Harbeson replaced Rear Admiral Thomas H. Copeman III.

Harbeson was previously assigned to the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations in Washington.

Secretary of Defense Robert Gates nominated Harbeson and 41 other Captains for promotion to Rear Admiral in June 2009.

Earlier in his career he had commanded Destroyer Squadron 50, and the USS John S. McCain in Japan.

In 1994, when he was a Lieutenant Commander, he attend the Navy War College, where he wrote a paper entitled: "The Vicksburg campaign -- Command and control of a successful joint operation".

Harbeson joined the Navy in 1982, after completing a degree at the University of Maryland.

After his term at Guantanamo Harbeson became a staff officer for the Joint Chiefs of Staff -- the Deputy Director for politico-military affairs for Europe, NATO and Russia.