Francis X Taylor

Military career

Francis X. Taylor was educated at the University of Notre Dame, graduating with a B.A. in government and international studies in 1970. Taylor was involved in the Reserve Officers' Training Corps during university and in 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, 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 of the Air Force Office of Special Investigations. 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 the Office of Special Investigations' Directorate of Counterintelligence. In April 1976, he became chief of the Counterintelligence Acquisition and Analysis Branch in Ankara. He spent 1977–83 at Bolling Air Force Base, becoming commander of Air Force Office of Special Investigations Detachment 411in September 1977; chief of Resource Career Management Division in the Office of Special Investigations' 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.

In January 1984, Taylor became deputy director for operations in the Directorate of Counterintelligence and Investigative Programs in the Office of the Deputy Undersecretary 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 the Air Force Office of Special Investigations District 45 at Osan Air Base in July 1990; and then commander of the Air Force Office of Special Investigations Region 2 at Langley Air Force Base in July 1992. He returned to Bolling Air Force Base in August 1994 as director of mission guidance at the Headquarters of the Air Force Office of Special Investigations.

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 the Headquarters of the Air Force Office of Special Investigations at Bolling Air Force Base, where he was responsible for providing commanders of all Air Force activities independent professional investigative services in fraud, counterintelligence, and major criminal matters. The Headquarters of the Air Force Office of Special Investigations moved to Andrews Air Force Base in August 1998. Taylor retired from active duty on July 1, 2001.

Post-Air Force career

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.

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. 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 for Intelligence and Analysis for the Department of Homeland Security.

Taylor is married to Constance O. Taylor and together the couple has three children: Jacquis, Justin, and Shari.