Peter Zwack

BG(r) Peter Zwack served as the United States Senior Defense Official and Attache to the Russian Federation from 2012 – 2014. By interacting with Russians at multiple levels since 1989, including defense, security, academia, policy, veterans, and private citizens, BG Zwack developed a unique hands-on perspective on Russia and Eurasian security affairs during a turbulent period that included the recent strife in Crimea and Eastern Ukraine.

Brigadier General Peter B. Zwack enlisted in the US Army in 1980 and received his commission via Officer Candidate School (OCS). He subsequently served 34 years in Military Intelligence commanding both a Battalion and Group. Senior staff positions included the Joint Staff, NGA, Army Cyber Command. and assignments as the senior Intelligence officer for US Army Europe, Kosovo Force and US Forces Afghanistan. He also was a Eurasian Foreign Area Officer serving in diverse and challenging duty locations including Afghanistan, Kosovo, South Korea, Russia, and West Germany.

Inducted into the OCS Hall of Fame in 2015, BG Zwack is a recipient of the Bronze Star, Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Defense Superior Service Medal, and many other awards and citations including the Afghan Service Medal and NATO/Kosovo Medal.  He was also honored as the Joint Chief’s of Staff “Action Officer of the Year” for 1999. He proudly wears the Ranger Tab and Airborne Wings.

After his military retirement, Zwack worked from 2015 to 2019 as the Senior Russia-Eurasia Fellow at the Institute for National Security Studies at the National Defense University in WDC. As such he regularly taught, consulted, lectured and extensively wrote within the defense department, private industry, think tanks, and academic institutions on contemporary Russian and Eurasian security issues, and leadership lessons-learned.

Having just entered the “private sector,” BG Zwack continues his work and interests regarding Eurasia, especially focusing on Russia, Europe, and Northeast Asia. He has joined the Kennan Institute for Advanced Russian Studies within the Wilson International Center for Scholars as a Global Fellow.  With his wide network of government, private and international associates and contacts, he continues to actively consult, speak and write on consequential foreign policy and defense topics related to these broad subject areas.

Zwack lives with his beloved wife Stephanie in Newport, RI.  They have three children.

BG Zwack speaks Russian, German, Italian, and some French.