James Mattis

James Mattis (born September 8, 1950, Pullman, Washington, U.S.) is a U.S. Marine Corps general who served as head of Central Command (Centcom; 2010–13) and who was later secretary of defense (2017–18) in the cabinet of U.S. Pres. Donald Trump. Mattis enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1969 and attended Central Washington University as part of the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) program. He earned a bachelor’s degree in 1971 and was commissioned as a...