H. R. McMaster

Not to be confused with Henry McMaster.

H. R. McMaster
25th United States National Security Advisor
In office
February 20, 2017 – April 9, 2018
PresidentDonald Trump
DeputyK. T. McFarland
Dina Powell
Ricky Waddell
Preceded byMichael Flynn
Succeeded byJohn Bolton
Personal details
Born
Herbert Raymond McMaster

(1962-07-24) July 24, 1962 (age 62)
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Spouse
Kathleen Trotter
​
(m. 1985)​
Children3[1]
EducationUnited States Military Academy (BS)
University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill (MA, PhD)
Nickname"The Iconoclast General"[2]
Military service
Allegiance United States
Branch/service United States Army
Years of service1984–2018
Rank Lieutenant General
CommandsEagle Troop, 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment
1st Squadron, 4th Cavalry Regiment
3d Armored Cavalry Regiment
Concept Development and Experimentation Directorate, Army Capabilities Integration Center
Joint Anti-Corruption Task Force (Shafafiyat), International Security Assistance Force
Maneuver Center of Excellence
Battles/wars
AwardsArmy Distinguished Service Medal (3)
Silver Star
Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit (2)
Bronze Star (2)
Purple Heart
Defense Meritorious Service Medal (2)
Army Meritorious Service Medal (5)
Joint Service Commendation Medal
Army Commendation Medal (4)
Army Achievement Medal (4)

Herbert Raymond McMaster (born July 24, 1962) is a retired United States Army lieutenant general who served as the 25th United States National Security Advisor from 2017 to 2018. He is also known for his roles in the Gulf War, Operation Enduring Freedom, and Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Born in Philadelphia, McMaster graduated from the United States Military Academy in 1984 and earned a Ph.D. in American history from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1996. His dissertation was critical of American strategy and military leadership during the Vietnam War and served as the basis for his book Dereliction of Duty, was a NYT Bestseller and is widely read in the United States military.[3] During the Gulf War, then Captain McMaster commanded Eagle Troop, 2nd Cavalry Regiment in the Battle of 73 Easting.

After the Gulf War, McMaster attended graduate school at UNC Chapel Hill then taught military history at the United States Military Academy from 1994 to 1996. After serving as a squadron executive officer and a regimental operations officer in the 11th Cavalry Regiment at Fort Irwin, California, he commanded the 1st Squadron 4th Cavalry at Schweinfurt, Germany from 1999 to 2002. After an Army War College Fellowship at the Hoover Institution, Stanford University, he served as an executive officer and director of the Commander's Advisory Group at United States Central Command forward headquarters command in Qatar. In 2004, he took command of the 3rd Cavalry Regiment and fought the Iraqi insurgency in South Baghdad and Tal Afar from 2005 to 2006 after which he became a top counterinsurgency advisor to General David Petraeus in Baghdad from 2007 to 2008. Brigadier General McMaster was the Director of Concept Development and Learning at the U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) from 2008 to 2010. From 2010 to 2012, he commanded Task Force Shafafiyat (Transparency), International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan. Major General McMaster commanded Fort Benning (now Fort Moore), Georgia and the Maneuver Center of Excellence from 2012 to 2014. In 2014, Lieutenant General McMaster became Director of the Army Capabilities Integration Center and Deputy Commanding General (Futures) at TRADOC.

In February 2017, McMaster succeeded Michael Flynn as President Donald Trump's National Security Advisor. He remained on active duty as a lieutenant general while serving as National Security Advisor, and retired in May 2018.[4][5] McMaster resigned as National Security Advisor on March 22, 2018, effective April 9,[6][7][8] and accepted an academic appointment at the Hoover Institution, Stanford University, in 2018.[9]

McMaster is the Fouad and Michelle Ajami Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution, the Bernard and Susan Liautaud Visiting Fellow at the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies and a lecturer in management at the Stanford Graduate School of Business.[10][11][12] He is also a distinguished visiting fellow at Arizona State University.

  1. ^ Clarke, Sara. "10 Things You Didn't Know About H.R. McMaster". U.S. News & World Report. Retrieved March 13, 2018.
  2. ^ "General HR McMaster: Who is Donald Trump's new national security adviser?". ABC News (Australia). Sydney, Australia. February 20, 2017.
  3. ^ "Who Is H.R. McMaster?". VOA. February 21, 2017. Retrieved June 19, 2023.
  4. ^ Cohen, Zachary; Gaouette, Nicole; Collins, Kaitlan (March 23, 2018). "Trump replaces H.R. McMaster as national security adviser with John Bolton". CNN. Retrieved March 23, 2018.
  5. ^ "Lt. Gen. McMaster Retirement Ceremony". Flickr.com. 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard). May 18, 2018.
  6. ^ Landler, Mark; Davis, Julie Hirschfeld; Baker, Peter (March 22, 2018). "McMaster to Resign as National Security Adviser, and Will Be Replaced by John Bolton". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved March 22, 2018.
  7. ^ "John Bolton to replace H.R. McMaster as national security adviser". POLITICO. Retrieved March 22, 2018.
  8. ^ Jaffe, Greg (March 22, 2018). "Trump names former ambassador John Bolton as his new national security advisor". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286.
  9. ^ "H.R. McMaster appointed the Bernard and Susan Liautaud Visiting Fellow at". cisac.fsi.stanford.edu. July 2, 2018. Retrieved June 19, 2023.
  10. ^ "H.R. McMaster". Stanford Graduate School of Business. Retrieved June 17, 2020.
  11. ^ "H. R. McMaster". Hoover Institution. Retrieved June 17, 2020.
  12. ^ "FSI - H.R. McMaster". fsi.stanford.edu. Retrieved June 17, 2020.