Harold Brown Chair in Defense Policy Studies

About the Chair

General James E. Cartwright (USMC, ret.), is the inaugural holder of the Harold Brown Chair. He served as commander, U.S. Strategic Command, before being nominated and appointed as the eighth vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the nation’s second-highest military officer. During his four-year tenure as vice chairman across two presidential administrations, General Cartwright was widely recognized for his technical acumen, vision of future national security concepts, and keen ability to integrate systems, organizations, and people in ways that encourage creativity and spark innovation. General Cartwright has extensive experience in strategic deterrence, nuclear proliferation, missile defense, cyber security, and adaptive acquisition processes. Read General James E. Cartwright full biography.