USMC, Retired

Program:
Aspen Strategy Group

Biography

General James Cartwright currently serves as the Inaugural Harold Brown Chair in Defense Policy for the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a Director for Raytheon Company Board of Directors, and a member of The Atlantic Council. He recently retired as the eighth Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the nation's second highest ranking military officer. During his four year tenure as Vice Chairman across two Presidential administrations and constant military operations against diverse and evolving enemies, General Cartwright became widely recognized for his technical acumen, vision of future national security concepts, and keen ability to integrate systems, organizations and people in ways that encouraged creativity and sparked innovation in the areas of strategic deterrence, nuclear proliferation, missile defense, cyber security, and adaptive acquisition processes. Prior to becoming Vice Chairman, General Cartwright served as Commander, U.S. Strategic Command. He was commissioned a Second Lieutenant of Marines in 1971. He was both a Naval Flight Officer and Naval Aviator who flew the F-4 Phantom, OA-4 Skyhawk, and F/A-18 Hornet. In 1983 he was named Outstanding Carrier Aviator of the Year by the Association of Naval Aviation and went on to command Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 12, Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 232, Marine Aircraft Group 31 and the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing.  General Cartwright graduated with distinction from the Air Command and Staff College, received a Master of Arts in National Security and Strategic Studies from the Naval War College, completed a fellowship with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and was honored with a Naval War College Distinguished Graduate Leadership Award.