He has served in the military in over 70 nations, including deployments to the Mediterranean, Caribbean, Western Pacific, Northern Europe, and Korea. He's also done deployments in Germany and Okinawa.
Two tours in Vietnam, emergency relief and security operations in the Philippines, Operation Provide Comfort in Turkey and northern Iraq, Operation Provide Hope in the former Soviet Union, Operations Restore Hope, Continue Hope, and United Shield in Somalia, and Operations Resolute Response and Noble Response in the former Soviet Union are among his operational experiences.
In the Persian Gulf, operations Desert Thunder, Desert Fox, Desert Viper, Desert Spring, Southern Watch, and Maritime Intercept Operations, as well as Operation Infinite Reach targeting terrorist targets in the Central Region.
In support of the Gulf War, he was involved in the design and implementation of Operation Proven Force and Patriot Defender, as well as noncombatant evacuation operations in Liberia, Zaire, Sierra Leone, and Eritrea.
He's also been on presidential diplomatic missions to Somalia, Pakistan, and Ethiopia-Eritrea, as well as State Department missions dealing with the Israeli-Palestinian issue and disputes in Indonesia and the Philippines.
He attended the Army Special Warfare School, the Marine Corps Amphibious Warfare School, the Marine Corps Command and Staff College, and the National War College, among other military institutions and courses.
He graduated from Villanova University with a bachelor's degree in economics, a master's degree in international relations from Salvae Regina College, a master's degree in management and supervision from Central Michigan University, and honorary doctorates from The College of William and Mary and the Maine Maritime Academy.
The Defense Distinguished Service Medal with oak leaf cluster; the Distinguished Service Medal; the Defense Superior Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters; the Bronze Star with Combat V and gold star; the Purple Heart; the Meritorious Service Medal with gold star; the Navy Commendation Medal with Combat V and gold star; the Navy Achievement Medal with gold star; the Navy Commendation Medal with Combat V and gold star; the Navy Commendation Medal with Combat V and gold star; the Navy Commendation Medal with Combat V and gold star; He has 36 unit, service, and campaign honors to his name.
The Pope's Gold Cross of Honor, the Union League's Abraham Lincoln Award, the Italic Studies Institute's Global Peace Award, the Naval Order of the United States' Distinguished Sea Service Award, the Veterans of Foreign Wars' Eisenhower Distinguished Service Award, the Chapman Award from the Marine Corps University Foundation, the Penn Club Award, and the Marquis de Lafayette Award are among his civilian honors.
He presently serves on the boards of directors and advisory boards of numerous large American corporations and non-profit organizations.
He has also held academic positions such as the Stanley Chair in Ethics at the Virginia Military Institute, the Nimitz Chair at the University of California-Berkeley, the Hofheimer Chair at the Joint Forces Staff College, the Harriman Professor of Government appointment and membership on the board of the Reves Center for International Studies at the College of William and Mary, and the boa Professor of Government appointment and membership on the board of the Reves Center for International Studies at the College of William and Mary.
He has worked with the Institute on Global Conflict and Cooperation at the University of California, the United States Institute of Peace, and the Henri Dunant Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue in Geneva. He leads UCLA's Center for Middle East Development as its President.
He is also a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and a Distinguished Advisor at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. He is also an Honorary Fellow at the Foreign Policy Association and a Distinguished Advisor at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.
He's also a member of the Virginia Commission on Military Bases, which was appointed by the Governor.
