Peter Pace is a retired United States Marine Corps general who served as the 16th chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Pace was the first Marine officer appointed as chairman and the first Marine officer to be appointed to three different four-star assignments; the others were as the sixth vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from October 1, 2001, to August 12, 2005, and as Commander-in-Chief, U.S. Southern Command from September 8, 2000, to September 30, 2001. Appointed chairman by President George W. Bush, Pace succeeded U.S. Air Force General Richard Myers on September 30, 2005.
Paul Xavier Kelley was a United States Marine Corps four-star general who served as the 28th Commandant of the United States Marine Corps from July 1, 1983, to June 30, 1987.
Lieutenant General Wallace H. Robinson was a United States Marine Corps general. LtGen Wallace served in combat during World War II. He served as the 20th Quartermaster General of the Marine Corps (1969–1971) and as Director of the Defense Supply Agency (1971–1976).
Lewis William Walt was a United States Marine Corps four-star general who served in World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. Walt was decorated several times, including two awards of the Navy Cross, for extraordinary heroism during World War II, the first for leading the attack on "Aogiri Ridge" during the Battle of Cape Gloucester ; the ridge was later on renamed "Walt's Ridge" in his honor.
Charles Elliott Wilhelm is a decorated retired United States Marine Corps General who served two combat tours of duty in Vietnam. He later served as Commanding General of the 1st Marine Division; as a Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense; and as the Commander, U.S. Southern Command (1997–2000). General Wilhelm retired from the Marine Corps in 2000, after 37 years of service.
Samuel Jaskilka was a U.S. Marine four-star general whose last assignment was Assistant Commandant of the United States Marine Corps (1975–1978). General Jaskilka was a highly decorated veteran of the Korean War, having led the landing at Inchon as a company commander with the 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines. He retired from the Marine Corps in 1978 after 36 years of service.
William L. "Spider" Nyland, a veteran of the Vietnam War, is a retired United States Marine Corps four-star General who served as the Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps from 2002 to 2005. He retired from the Marine Corps in November 2005 after over 37 years of distinguished service.
William Kenefick Jones was a United States Marine Corps lieutenant general and a highly decorated veteran of three wars, receiving the Navy Cross, the Silver Star, the Bronze Star, and the Purple Heart. He was a battalion commander in World War II; a regimental commander just after the Korean War; and a division commander during the Vietnam War. LtGen Jones' last command was the Fleet Marine Force, Pacific. He served in the Marine Corps for 33 years, retiring from active duty in 1972.
James Anthony Rispoli is a former Assistant Secretary of Energy for Environmental Management who served for three and a half years under the administration of President George W. Bush; he was unanimously confirmed by the Senate in July 2005. and resigned in late November 2008. His position was occasionally called cleanup czar in the press.
Bernard Daniel Rostker was Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy from 1977 to 1979; 5th Director of the Selective Service System from 1979 to 1981; Assistant Secretary of the Navy from 1994 to 1998; Under Secretary of the Army from 1998 to 2000; and Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness in 2000–2001. From 1996 to 2001, he also served as Special Assistant to the Deputy Secretary of Defense for Gulf War Illnesses.
James Donald Hittle was a decorated officer in the United States Marine Corps with the rank of brigadier general. He is most noted for his service as legislative assistant to the commandant of the Marine Corps, between June 1952 and January 1960. Following his retirement from the Marine Corps, Hittle served as United States Assistant Secretary of the Navy from March 1969 until March 1971.
Jerome Gary Cooper was an officer of the United States Marine Corps who served as Assistant Secretary of the Air Force from 1989 to 1992, and as United States Ambassador to Jamaica from 1994 to 1997.
Arnold L. Punaro is a retired United States Marine Corps Major General and CEO of The Punaro Group and IronArch Technology. He is currently Chairman of the Secretary of Defense’s Reserve Forces Policy Board and a member of the Defense Business Board. He was an executive vice president at Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) in McLean, Virginia from 1997–2010. Punaro held several positions with the United States Senate including Staff Director of the Senate Armed Services Committee. He is recognized by Defense News as one of the 100 Most Influential Individuals in the U.S. Defense.
Dennis M. McCarthy was a United States Marine Corps Lieutenant General and served as the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Reserve Affairs from June 2009 - April 2011. McCarthy was born in Cleveland, Ohio, and graduated from the University of Dayton and the Capital University Law School.
Joseph Leo Falvey Jr. is an American lawyer who serves as a judge of the United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims.
John Lowry III is a private sector executive, military veteran, and former Assistant Secretary at the U.S. Department of Labor where he led the Veterans' Employment and Training Service (VETS). The United States Senate confirmed his appointment to lead VETS with unanimous consent. He served in that role from January 2020 until January 2021.
Thomas K. Turnage served as the last Administrator of Veterans Affairs before the creation of the United States Department of Veterans Affairs. He previously served as the 6th Director of the Selective Service System from October 1981 to March 1986. Turnage was also a retired major general in the California Army National Guard who commanded the 40th Infantry Division from August 1974 to August 1975 and again from December 1977 to November 1979.
