caption birth_place other_names nationality birth_date image article_title name occupation alma_mater
alexander vershbow in 2005 boston , massachusetts alexander russell `` sandy '' vershbow american 03 july 1952 alexander vershbow.jpg alexander vershbow
 alexander vershbow deputy secretary-general of the north atlantic treaty organization yale college , columbia university
alexander vershbow

alexander russell `` sandy '' vershbow -lrb- born july 3 , 1952 -rrb- is an american ambassador and the current deputy secretary-general of the north atlantic treaty organization .
from october , 2005 to october , 2008 , he was the united states ambassador to south korea .
before that post he had been the ambassador to the russian federation from 2001 to 2005 and the ambassador to nato from 1998 to 2001 .
for his work with nato he was awarded the state department 's distinguished service award .
in march , 2009 , president barack obama nominated vershbow as assistant secretary of defense for international security affairs , a position that holds responsibility for u.s. policy toward nato , coordination of u.s. security and defense policies relating to the nations and international organizations of europe , the middle east and africa .
he was confirmed in april , 2009 .
after almost three years with the u.s. department of defense , in february 2012 , vershbow moved back to brussels where he took the position of deputy secretary general of nato .
