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Tyrus W. Cobb

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For his son, Republican member of the Nevada Assembly from 2006 until 2010, see Ty Cobb (politician).
For the baseball player and the attorney, see Ty Cobb and Ty Cobb (attorney).

Tyrus W. Cobb
Cobb in 1984
Special Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs
In office
July 15, 1988 – March 13, 1989
PresidentRonald Reagan
Preceded byRobert D. Blackwill
Succeeded byDavid Charles Miller Jr.
Personal details
Born
Tyrus William Cobb

(1940-04-15)April 15, 1940
Reno, Nevada, U.S.
DiedDecember 7, 2024(2024-12-07) (aged 84)
Reno, Nevada, U.S.
Spouse
Suellen Small
​
(m. 1965)​
Children3, including Ty
Alma materUniversity of Nevada, Reno (BA)
Indiana University (M.A.)
Georgetown University (PhD)
Military service
Allegiance United States
Branch/serviceArmy
Years of service1963–1987
RankLieutenant colonel
Battles/warsVietnam War

Tyrus William Cobb (April 15, 1940 – December 7, 2024) was an American lieutenant colonel and academic who specialized in national security. Cobb was a member of the U.S. National Security Council, where he served as director of European and Soviet Affairs Directorate from 1983 until 1988 and special assistant to the president for national security affairs from 1988 until 1989. After the NSC, Cobb served on the boards of numerous non-profit organizations, including Business Executives for National Security, NatureBridge, AAFMAA and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northern Nevada.

Cobb was born in Reno, Nevada, in 1940, attending the local high school and the local university, where he was the president of Sigma Nu. He received a master of arts degree from Indiana University and a PhD in Soviet studies from Georgetown University.

Cobb served in the United States Army for 24 years, taking part in two tours of duty in the Vietnam War, for which he was awarded the Purple Heart. During his time at the army, he also worked as a professor, at the United States Military Academy.

After retirement, Cobb was appointed a civilian aide to the United States Secretary of the Army. In 2017, he received the award Distinguished Nevadan (Q105717402) from the University of Nevada, Reno.

He was the father of Ty Cobb, a Republican politician who served in the Nevada Assembly from 2006 until 2010.

Early life and education

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Tyrus William Cobb was born in Reno, Nevada, on April 15, 1940.[1][2] He was a fourth generation Nevadan.[3] His father, Tyrus Richard, was a news anchor and he had two siblings.[3] Cobb graduated from Reno High School in 1958.[3]

Cobb attended the University of Nevada, Reno, graduating with a bachelor's degree. At Nevada, he was the president of Sigma Nu.[3] Cobb completed postgraduate studies at Indiana University, earning a Master of Arts degree. He later attended Georgetown University for doctoral studies, earning a PhD in Soviet studies.[3][4]

Career

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Early career

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Prior to his involvement with the NSC, Cobb was a lieutenant colonel in the army and a professor at the United States Military Academy.[4] He served in the army from 1963 until his retirement in 1987.[5] During his service in the army, Cobb served in two tours of duty in the Vietnam War, being awarded a Purple Heart.[3]

National Security Council career

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Cobb (third from left) with Mikhail Gorbachev (second from right) at the Geneva Summit in 1985

Cobb consulted with the U.S. National Security Council during the Carter and Reagan administrations on international energy issues. He was later asked to join the council as a member of the European and Soviet Affairs Directorate, succeeding Dennis C. Blair. At the directorate, Cobb advised on European affairs, Canada and Soviet policy.[4] On July 15, 1988, he replaced Robert D. Blackwill as special assistant to the president and senior director of the International Programs and Technology Affairs Directorate.[6] As special assistant, Cobb was responsible for science and technology agreements, export policy, United Nations affairs, and the environment.[4] He was succeeded by David Charles Miller Jr. on March 13, 1989.[7]

Cobb (right) with Colin Powell in 1988

Later career

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After leaving the NSC, Cobb was the president and CEO of Business Executives for National Security from 1991 until 1995, before leaving the position to serve as president and CEO of NatureBridge, a position he held until 2002.[4]

Cobb retired to Reno in 2002, where he founded the National Security Forum, a non-profit organization that focuses on debate on national and international security issues.[3][4] He was a member of the AAFMAA board of directors.[8] Cobb was a member of the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northern Nevada Advisory Committee.[9] He retired from the NSF in 2018.[10]

Cobb was appointed a civilian aide to the secretary of the Army in Nevada in 2005. He received the award Distinguished Nevadan (Q105717402) from the University of Nevada, Reno in 2017.[3]

Cobb's papers are in the collections of the University of Nevada, Reno, the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and the Library of Congress.[2][11][12]

Personal life, death and legacy

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Cobb married Suellen Small in 1965 and they had three children, along with five grandchildren.[3][4] His son, Ty, served in the Nevada Assembly from 2006 until 2010.[13]

Cobb had fluency in Russian and Italian.[14]

Cobb died from heart failure in Reno, on December 7, 2024, at the age of 84.[3][10]

In December 2019, the National Security Forum created the Ty Cobb UNR Scholarship in his honor, which is awarded annually.[15]

Bibliography

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  • Cobb, Tyrus W. (1981). The Future of the Soviet Defense Burden: The Political Economy of Contemporary Soviet Security Policy. Naval War College Review. Vol.34:4:5.
  • Cobb, Tyrus W. (May 9, 2018). Reagan and the Russians. CreateSpace. ISBN 978-1979970174.

References

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  1. ^ Trent, John (April 13, 2017). "Two notable northern Nevada figures will be honored as Distinguished Nevadans". University of Nevada, Reno. Archived from the original on March 8, 2022. Retrieved December 24, 2024.
  2. ^ a b Maddox, Jessica. "Tyrus W. Cobb Papers". University Libraries Archival Guides. University of Nevada, Reno. Retrieved December 24, 2024.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Tyrus William Cobb, PhD, Col. U.S. Army (ret.)". Reno Gazette-Journal. December 18, 2024. Retrieved December 24, 2024.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g "Tyrus W. Cobb". National Security Forum. June 12, 2009. Archived from the original on August 6, 2024. Retrieved December 24, 2024.
  5. ^ "May 15 - Dr. Tyrus Cobb - Key National Security Issues Facing the President Of The United States". Rotary Club of Reno Central. May 12, 2018. Retrieved December 24, 2024 – via ClubRunner.
  6. ^ "Appointment of Tyrus W. Cobb as a Special Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs". The American Presidency Project. July 15, 1988. Archived from the original on July 9, 2024. Retrieved December 24, 2024.
  7. ^ "Appointment of David C. Miller, Jr., as Special Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs". The American Presidency Project. March 13, 1989. Archived from the original on July 29, 2024. Retrieved December 24, 2024.
  8. ^ "2009 Annual Report" (PDF). AAFMAA. p. 2. Retrieved December 24, 2024.
  9. ^ "2016 Annual Report" (PDF). Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northern Nevada. September 27, 2017. p. 16. Archived (PDF) from the original on July 19, 2024. Retrieved December 24, 2024.
  10. ^ a b McAndrew, Siobhan (December 9, 2024). "Ty Cobb, former special assistant to US President Ronald Reagan, dies in Reno at 84". Reno Gazette-Journal. Retrieved December 24, 2024.
  11. ^ "Cobb, Tyrus W.: Files, 1983-1988". Ronald Reagan Presidential Library. December 10, 2024. Archived from the original on November 30, 2024. Retrieved December 24, 2024.
  12. ^ "Tyrus W. Cobb Collection". Library of Congress. Retrieved December 24, 2024.
  13. ^ "Republican urges party to put up fight". Las Vegas Review-Journal. December 26, 2008. Retrieved December 24, 2024.
  14. ^ "Distinguished Nevadan Nomination Form" (PDF). Nevada System of Higher Education. December 31, 2016. p. 5. Retrieved December 24, 2024.
  15. ^ "Ty Cobb UNR Scholarship". National Security Forum. December 9, 2019. Retrieved December 24, 2024.
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