Friday Sep 4, 2020

"CHALLENGES TO US NATIONAL SECURITY"

Barry McCaffrey Ret.

Retired General US Army

Introduced by: Jim Gordon

General McCaffrey is President of his own consulting firm www.mccaffreyassociates.com. He also serves as a national security and terrorism analyst for NBC News.

Barry McCaffrey served in the United States Army for 32 years and retired as a four-star General. At retirement, he was the most highly decorated serving General, having been awarded three Purple Heart medals (wounded in combat three times), two Distinguished Service Crosses (the nation’s second highest award for valor) and two Silver Stars for valor.

For five years after leaving the military, General McCaffrey served as the Director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP). Upon leaving government service, he served at West Point as the Bradley Distinguished Professor of International Security Studies from 2001-2005; and an Adjunct Professor of International Security Studies from 2006-2010. He previously served as an Associate Professor in the Department of Social Sciences from 1973-1976 teaching American Government and Comparative Politics.

General McCaffrey is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. He is Chairman of the Addiction Policy Forum Advisory Board. He has served on the Board of Directors of several corporations in the engineering design, technology, healthcare and services sectors.

About the Speaker

General McCaffrey attended Phillips Academy, Andover, Mass.; and graduated from West Point with a Bachelor of Science degree. He earned a master's degree in American Government from American University and attended the Harvard University National Security Program as well as the Business School Executive Education Program. In 2015 he was selected for the Doughboy Award -- the highest honor the Chief of Infantry can bestow on any Infantryman -- for outstanding contribution to the United States Army Infantry. In May 2010, he was honored as a Distinguished Graduate by the West Point Association of Graduates at the United States Military Academy. In 2007 he was inducted into the US Army Ranger Hall of Fame at the US Army Infantry Center, Ft. Benning, GA. In 2004, Catholic University of America awarded him the James Cardinal Gibbons Medal (Highest Honor), to honor him for distinguished and meritorious service to the United States of America. In 1992 he was awarded the State Department Superior Honor Award for the principal negotiation team for the START II Nuclear Arms Control Treaty.

General McCaffrey is married to Jill Ann McCaffrey. They have three married adult children and six grandchildren. Their son, Colonel Sean McCaffrey, retired from the Armed Forces after a career as an infantry officer. Their daughter Tara Larson is an ICU Nurse. Their daughter Amy McKinney is a teacher.