As the world continues to reel from the drastic political changes in Eastern Europe, officials at the Kennedy School of government acknowledge that they have no idea where U.S. national security policy is headed. But Bernard E. Trainor means to find out.

Trainor, who earlier this week was named the Kennedy School's director of national security programs, said yesterday that recent changes on the world map make security issues a particularly compelling area of policy research.

'At a Crossroads'

"What I find most attractive is that we're at a crossroads," Trainor said. "This is a very exciting time to become involved in the planning and studying of a new policy course."

A former lieutenant general in the Marine Corps, Trainor has been military correspondent for The New York Times since 1986--a background which K-School officials said makes him uniquely qualified for the job.

In the Marine Corps, Trainor served as director of education and deputy chief of staff for plans, policies, and operations.

Unique Background

"He has a wonderful combination in a background of national security and has demonstrated an ability to think analytically about the broader issues," said Albert Carnesale, academic dean of the Kennedy School and acting director of the programs.

Trainor said that the combination of experiences allows him to "look at it from both directions."

"I think my background makes me perfect for this sort of thing at this juncture in history," said Trainor.

Among the national security programs offered by the Kennedy school are executive training programs for defense officials and civilians in related areas and a research program on security policy. The school also invites a number of national security fellows to spend time at Harvard each year, Carnesale said.

Change Unlikely

Administrators said that they do not expect any changes in the activities of the national security programs but that the unprecendented situation defense policy is faced with is going to entail different approaches to the issues.

"We are not thinking of new programs but what should be in them--how we should be helping the national security community to address the security problems that we are facing in the modern world," Carnesale said.

"Nobody knows any of the answers," Trainor said. "This is a period of reassesment and reevaluation and that makes this a particularly interesting post."