25th Secretary of the Army

Christine E. Wormuth

 

Responsibilities

  • Wormuth was appointed secretary of the Army on May 28, 2021, becoming the first woman to hold the Army’s top civilian post. She is responsible for the largest branch of the military, one that dates back to George Washington’s Continental Army of 1775—the original “patriotic band of Brothers.”
  • Today’s Army consists of roughly 486,000 active service members. In her new position, Wormuth will work closely with the Chief of Staff of the Army, General James McConville. 

Stated Priorities

Wormuth’s appointment comes at a time of competition with the Navy, Air and Space Forces, along with budget uncertainty following President Biden’s decision to withdraw all troops from Afghanistan. Within these parameters, the new secretary of the Army intends to:

  • Become a “hands on” advocate of land power. 
  • Maintain readiness while keeping the Army’s “ambitious” modernization programs on schedule and at projected costs.
  • Examine the disparate cross-functional teams responsible for linking together the Army’s multi-domain operations via a common network of data sharing, as characterized by Project Convergence—a program that promises to form the architectural backbone of artificial intelligence, robotics, autonomous systems and enhanced capabilities—each delivered on all levels at rapid rates. 
  • The initiative is part of DoD’s Joint All Domain Command and Control (JADC2) framework, whereby All Domain Operations can be digitally connected across the Army, Air Force, Marine Corps, Navy, and Space Force.
  • Prioritize the Army Futures Command. The Texas-based R&D facility is designed to advance military technologies, equipment, and processes, and is opening the door to nontraditional suppliers, start-up businesses, and academia.
  • Expand the dialogue between Army and Pentagon civilians to “meet future challenges.”
  • Attract and retain civilian and military talent.
  • Create an expanded sense of inclusion within the ranks through coalition-building initiatives like “This is My Squad.” 

Policy Quote

  • “There is no place in our Army for sexual harassment and assault, domestic violence, extremism, racism, or other harmful behaviors that inhibit readiness.” – Confirmation hearing before the Senate Committee on Armed Services on May 13, 2021.

Areas of Expertise

  • Well versed in the language of foreign policy and national security. 
  • As former Undersecretary of Defense for Policy, she worked with many inter-government agencies and alongside senior Pentagon civilians like Kathleen Hicks, now Deputy Secretary of Defense. 

Business and Public Service Career

  • Senior advisor and director of the International Security and Defense Center at the nonprofit RAND Corporation (2018-2021). Also taught as an adjunct professor in Georgetown University’s graduate program in security studies.
  • Founding director of the Adrienne Arsht Center for Resilience in Washington, D.C. (2017-2018). 
  • Undersecretary of Defense for policy during the Obama Administration (2014-2016). Helped shape the Pentagon’s counter-ISIS campaign.
  • Deputy Undersecretary of Defense for strategy, plans and forces. Led the 2014 Quadrennial Defense Review.
  • Deputy Undersecretary of Defense for strategy, plans and force development  (2012). 
  • Special assistant to the president and senior director for defense at the National Security Council (2010-2012). Led a comprehensive effort to update nuclear weapons planning.
  • Principal deputy assistant secretary for Homeland Defense (2009–2010).
  • Senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a national security research institution (2006-2009). 
  • Principal at DFI Government Services in Washington, D.C., a branch of DFI International (2002-2004). 
  • Career civil servant in DoD (1995-2002). Worked in the Office of the Secretary of Defense, serving in a variety of capacities before rising to the Senior Executive Service.

Background

 

Education

  • University of Maryland – Masters of Public Policy, National Security Policy Studies (1995). 
  • Williams College – B.A. in Political Science and Government, Fine Arts (1991).

Personal

  • Born Christine Elizabeth Wormuth on April 19, 1969, in La Jolla, Calif. Grew up in College Station, TX. Her mother ran the “English as a Second Language” program at Texas A&M University. Attributes her interest in foreign affairs to her parents, saying “we had lots of students from the Middle East and lots of students from Central America, so I think that’s when I started getting interested in foreign policy.” 
  • Her husband, Drew, is a retired Navy officer whose “love, optimism and support,” she remains openly grateful for. They have two grown daughters. Her stepson-in-law serves in the National Guard. Her sister served in the Army Reserves.

Affiliations/Awards

  • Volunteer member of Joe Biden’s 2020 presidential transition agency review team.
  • Served on the honorary advisory board of the Leadership Committee for Women in National Security, a coalition established in 2019 to “promote concrete solutions to the national security gender gap.” Also served on the National Commission on the Future of the Army, the Board of Advisors for the Truman National Security Project, and the Board of Advisors for SoldierSocks, a veterans’ charity.
  • Two-time recipient of the Department of Defense Medal for Distinguished Public Service.