Kipling “Kip” Kahler

Advisor

Brigadier General (retired) Kipling “Kip” Kahler recently completed a successful 18 month tour as the
Senior Defense Official and Defense Attaché (SDO/DATT) to Ukraine after serving 30 months as the
SDO/DATT in Turkey. Kip was recalled to active duty by the Secretary of Defense in 2019 after a
successful 24 year career as a CIA Operations Officer. Kip has over 37 years of experience in
international affairs and strategic competition in Europe, Africa, Central Asia, the Middle East and Latin
America in both peace, crisis and conflict.

He is a proven leader from small special operation teams in austere conditions to command of large multifunctional and dispersed organizations of over 2,400 persons. He has extensive experience engaging with multinational corporations, foreign and US military units, foreign and US security services, foreign and US law enforcement agencies, foreign and US local governments and foreign and US academic institutions resulting in a broad international network of contacts. Kip is extremely adept at balancing risk and security within geopolitical realities and working with U.S. Country Teams to maximize the use of the elements of national power (DIME). His, polished and effective interpersonal and cross-cultural skills helped build strong resilient relationships that advanced U.S. and foreign partner security and commercial interests.

Kip has diversified graduate degrees and fellowships in International Business and Strategic Studies. He is also a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point and was commissioned as an infantry officer. He has been faithfully married to his wife Hayley (nee Franck from South Africa) for over 25 years and they have four children. Kip is currently on the Board of Advisors for several companies and a volunteer advisor for a missionary organization.