Craig Mullaney, a West Point grad, Rhodes scholar, and Army Ranger recounts his unparalleled education in the art of war and reckons with the hard wisdom that only battle itself can bestow.
Bio
Craig Mullaney
Craig Mullaney grew up in a blue-collar, Irish-Catholic family in Wickford, Rhode Island. He was an all-state wrestler at Bishop Hendricken High School and received his nomination to the U.S. Military Academy from the late Senator John Chafee.
As a cadet, Craig studied history and was a member of the sport parachute team, completing over 450 freefall skydives and earning a professional performance rating. He graduated West Point in 2000 and was commissioned in the United States Army. After completing Ranger School, Craig continued to the University of Oxford on a Rhodes scholarship. At Oxford, he completed two masters degrees, rowed for Lincoln College, and played on the university lacrosse team.
In 2003, Craig led an infantry rifle platoon along the hostile border between Afghanistan and Pakistan with the 10th Mountain Division as part of Operation Enduring Freedom. His platoon operated along the entire spectrum of military operations' from humanitarian assistance with the first Provincial Reconstruction Team established in Afghanistan to combat engagements against Al Qaeda and the Taliban. Following his return to the United States, Craig joined the elite 3rd Infantry Regiment, "The Old Guard," in Arlington, Virginia, responsible for Arlington Ceremonial burials, the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, and defense of the National Capital Region. He served for three years as the Army Exchange Officer to the history faculty of the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland where he focused on American foreign policy and directed the international scholarships program.
After leaving the military, Craig served as a national security adviser on Barack Obama's presidential campaign, led veterans outreach efforts in western Pennsylvania, and was the Chief of Staff for the President-elect's Department of Defense Review Team. Craig's military decorations include the Bronze Star, Army Commendation Medal with "V" device, Combat Infantryman's Badge, Ranger Tab, and Parachutist Badge.
Major branch of the U.S. military forces, charged with preserving peace and security and defending the nation. The first regular U.S. fighting force, the Continental Army, was organized by the Continental Congress on June 14, 1775, to supplement local militias in the American Revolution. It was placed under the control of a five-member civilian board, and U.S. military forces have remained in civilian control ever since. The U.S. Constitution named the president as commander in chief, and in 1789 the civilian Department of War was established to administer the armed forces. The Continental Army was officially disbanded in 1783, and a small regular army was established. Thereafter, the army's size increased during times of crisis, swelled by conscription, and decreased during peacetime. The Department of the Army is organized as a military section of the Department of Defense and is headed by the Secretary of the Army. The Army Staff gives advice and assistance to the secretary and administers civil functions, including the civil-works program of the Corps of Engineers. The army also administers the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. In 2000 there were about 400,000 soldiers on active duty.
member. 
