Preparing the Department of Defense for Irregular and Special Warfare

The Honorable Chris Miller was unanimously confirmed by the Senate as the director of the national Counterterrorism center. He served as the acting secretary of defense of the United States for the final months of the Trump administration. Prior to becoming a political appointee, Chris was an Army Green Beret, head of counterterrorism and transnational threats at the National Security Council, and a senior official for the US Department of Defense’s special operations and irregular warfare efforts. He is currently an advisor to Highlander Partners LP, in Dallas, Texas on defense matters and the acting chief revenue officer at Dzyne Aerotechnologies, specializing in autonomy.

Mark E. Mitchell is a former senior executive in the DoD who served most recently as the acting assistant secretary of defense for special operations and low-intensity conflict (ASD SO/LIC). He is also highly decorated US Army infantry and special forces combat veteran who served 28 years on active duty. He participated in multiple combat tours in the First Gulf War, Afghanistan, and Iraq and is a recipient of the Distinguished Service Cross, America’s second highest decoration for valor in combat. In addition to serving four tours in the 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne), Colonel Mitchell served in the Office of the Secretary of Defense and on the National Security Council as a director for counterterrorism. Following his retirement from active duty, he has worked as a business executive in the private sector and is now a small business owner in the travel industry.