David C. Gompert *73

David died of cancer Aug. 21, 2024.

Born Oct. 6, 1945, in Hackensack, N.J., he earned a bachelor of science degree in engineering from the Naval Academy in 1967 and an MPA from the Woodrow Wilson School in 1973.

David served in the Department of State as senior national security adviser in the administrations of Presidents Nixon, Ford, Carter, and Reagan; under President George H.W. Bush as special assistant and senior director for Europe and Eurasia; as senior adviser to Iraq’s post-Saddam leadership with the Coalition Provisional Authority; and as principal deputy director and acting director of national intelligence during the Obama administration.

David served as president of Rand Europe, on the Rand Europe executive board, and as a senior fellow at Rand. He was on the faculty of the Naval Academy and the National Defense University.

David also was a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and its executive panel. His board service included Global Integrated Security, Global National Defense and Security Systems, the Naval Academy’s Advisory Board, the Center for Cyber Security Studies, and American Civil War Museum.

He published extensively on international, national, and cyber security topics.

David is survived by his wife, Cynthia; children Christian and Elisa; and four grandchildren.

Graduate alumni memorials are prepared by the APGA.