The Hoover Institution is pleased to announce the full-time appointment of General James “Jim” Mattis, US Marine Corps (Ret.), as an Annenberg Distinguished Visiting Fellow. Mattis recently retired as the commanding general of the US Central Command, at which post he oversaw the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and military activity throughout twenty countries in the Middle East and beyond.
“General Mattis has had a highly distinguished military career,” said John Raisian, the director of the Hoover Institution. “His experiences have been profound during a time of conflict and cultural volatility. We are delighted to welcome Jim to Hoover. He will provide a wealth of knowledge on contemporary conflict, as well as contribute on critical matters pertaining to national security.”
Said Mattis of his appointment, “In my previous jobs, I relied on the work of Hoover fellows to understand the nature of the challenges our country is facing. It's a privilege to join them as a colleague.”
The Marine Corps Times recently described him as “the most revered Marine in a generation.” When he was with Task Force 58 in the 2001 invasion of Afghanistan, he commanded the deepest incursion of marines into a combat zone in the history of the corps. He also commanded the First Marine Division during the 2003 invasion of Iraq.
As the commander of the US Joint Forces Command, he was responsible for a major military planning document, the Joint Operating Environment 2010, which first drew defense planners' attention to the strategic implications of America's debt.
