Jim Mattis

James Mattis official photo

Major General James N. Mattis addresses the Marines of Headquarters Battalion

Gen James N. Mattis

Genmattisltr

From left, Vice President Joe Biden, Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Navy Adm. Mike Mullen and U.S. Marine Corps Gen. Gen. James Mattis, the commander of U.S. Central 100901-N-TT977-147

End of mission ceremony DVIDS500749

James Norman Mattis (born September 8, 1950) is a retired United States Marine Corps general who served as the 26th United States Secretary of Defense from January 2017 to January 2019. During his 44 years in the Marine Corps, he commanded forces in the Persian Gulf War, the War in Afghanistan, and the Iraq War. Mattis is known for his intellectualism and the depth of his knowledge on strategic military operations, earning him the nickname "Mad Dog" Mattis, a moniker he is not fond of. He is also referred to by his call sign, "Chaos," which is an acronym for "Colonel Has An Outstanding Solution."

Early Life and Education

James Mattis was born in Pullman, Washington, and grew up in Richland, Washington. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in history from Central Washington University and later attended the National War College, where he graduated with a Master's in International Security Affairs.

Military Career

Mattis enlisted in the United States Marine Corps in 1969. He was commissioned as a second lieutenant through the Officer Candidates School in 1972. Over the years, Mattis served in various capacities including leading troops in the Persian Gulf War, Afghanistan, and Iraq. Notably, he led the 1st Marine Division during the initial invasion and subsequent stability operations in Iraq during the Iraq War.

His strategic acumen and leadership were evident in the Battle of Fallujah, one of the most intense battles of the Iraq War. Mattis played a key role in the development of the Counterinsurgency Field Manual used by the military, which emphasized the importance of winning the "hearts and minds" of the local population.

Secretary of Defense

Nominated by President Donald Trump, Mattis was confirmed as the Secretary of Defense in January 2017. His tenure was marked by a focus on improving military readiness and increasing defense spending. He was a strong advocate for NATO and other alliances, often tempering the isolationist tendencies of the Trump administration. Mattis resigned in December 2018, citing differences in views with the President, particularly over the treatment of allies and the approach to strategic adversaries.

Post-Military Career

After resigning as Secretary of Defense, Mattis returned to the Hoover Institution at Stanford University as a Davies Family Distinguished Fellow. He has also co-authored a book, "Call Sign Chaos: Learning to Lead," which details his military career and leadership philosophy.

Legacy

Mattis is widely respected across the political and military spectrum for his leadership, strategic vision, and commitment to duty. His quotes, such as "Be polite, be professional, but have a plan to kill everybody you meet," have been widely cited, reflecting his direct approach to military strategy and operations.

```

This template is designed to be used for stub articles related to the United States Marine Corps. It incorporates an image (USMC logo.svg) and categorizes the article into "United States Marine Corps stubs" for easy identification and sorting. The template also includes a link to a general stub help page (WikiMD:Stub) to encourage and guide users on how to expand the stub article.