On the recordJuly 28, 2011
I rise today to pay tribute to GEN James E. Cartwright, who is retiring after 40 years of accomplished military service. Since becoming the Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff on August 4, 2007, General ``Hoss'' Cartwright has testified numerous times and provided expert testimony, leadership, and advice to Congress, the President, and the American people regarding our Nation's security and the future of our Armed Forces. General Cartwright hails from Rockford, IL. He graduated from the University of Iowa in 1971 and was commissioned a second lieutenant in the U.S. Marine Corps shortly thereafter. The general served as a naval flight officer in the F-4 and as a pilot in the F-4, OA-4 and the F-18. His flying career culminated with command of the First Marine Aircraft Wing in Okinawa, Japan. The general is also a distinguished graduate of the Air Command and Staff College and earned his master of arts in national security and strategic studies from the Naval War College. After an assignment as the Director for Force Structure, Resources and Assessment, J-8, on the Joint Staff, then-Lieutenant General Cartwright was selected for promotion to general and became the first Marine Corps officer to lead U.S. Strategic Command. While at STRATCOM, General Cartwright led the development of strategies during a rapidly evolving national security environment, particularly in the areas of cyber, space, nuclear proliferation, and missile defense.…





