Ash Carter, Former US Defence Secretary, Dies At Age 68
Date
10/25/2022 1:21:44 PM
(MENAFN- The Peninsula) Reuters
Washington: Ash Carter, who served as a US defence secretary during the Obama administration, died late on Monday at the age of 68 after a sudden cardiac event, his family said in a statement on Tuesday.
A decades-long defence wonk who gradually ascended to the Pentagon's top job, Carter helped oversee the launch of a military strategy that would drive back the Islamic State militant group in Syria and Iraq, and ultimately defeat the organisation.
Under Carter, the US military opened all military roles to women.
'To choose service members on other grounds than military qualifications is social policy and has no place in our military,' Carter said at the time.
Before becoming defence secretary, Carter served as deputy defence secretary and chief operating officer in the Pentagon. He also oversaw the Defence Department's weapons purchases from 2009 to 2011 when he led a major restructuring of the F-35 fighter jet program.
'Carter always set politics aside; he served presidents of both parties over five administrations, holding multiple positions within the Department of Defence,' his family said in the statement.
Carter held a doctorate in theoretical physics from Oxford University, and on at least one occasion overseas even spoke to the media traveling with him about black holes. Inside the Pentagon, he was seen more as a technocrat than a politician.
He tried, with limited success, to bridge a gaping divide between the Pentagon and Silicon Valley to bring technological innovations to the Defence Department more quickly.
Since leaving public service, Carter led the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs at Harvard's Kennedy School.
Carter is survived by his wife, Stephanie, and his children, Ava and Will.
MENAFN25102022000063011010ID1105078418
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.