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Mark Esper

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Mark Esper
Image of Mark Esper
Prior offices
U.S. Secretary of Defense

Education

High school

Laurel Highlands High School

Bachelor's

United States Military Academy

Graduate

Harvard University

Ph.D

George Washington University

Military

Service / branch

U.S. Army National Guard

Service / branch

U.S. Army

Years of service

1986 - 2007

Mark Esper is the former secretary of defense for the U.S. Department of Defense. President Donald Trump (R) nominated him to this position on July 15, 2019. The U.S. Senate confirmed him by a vote of 90-8 on July 23, 2019. He was sworn in the same day.[1] He served until his termination on November 9, 2020.[2]

At the time of Esper's nomination, he was serving as acting defense secretary. He resigned upon being nominated, as federal law prohibits the nominee for defense secretary to serve in the role during the nomination process.[3] Richard Spencer replaced Esper as acting defense secretary.

The secretary of defense oversees the military departments, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the unified commands. According to the Department of Defense's website, "The military departments train and equip the military forces. The Chairman plans and coordinates military deployments and operations. The unified commands conduct the military operations."[4]

Biography

Esper was the secretary of the United States Army from 2017 to 2019. He served on active duty for over a decade, after which he served in the National Guard and Army Reserve.[5]

Esper earned a B.S. in engineering from the United States Military Academy in 1986. He received his master's degree in public administration from Harvard University in 1995 and his Ph.D. in public policy from George Washington University in 2008.[6]


See also

Footnotes

Preceded by
Patrick Shanahan
Defense Secretary
2019-2020
Succeeded by
Christopher C. Miller