Ryan D. McCarthy facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ryan McCarthy
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Official portrait, 2017
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| 24th United States Secretary of the Army | |
| In office September 30, 2019 – January 20, 2021 Acting: July 23, 2019 – September 30, 2019 |
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| President | Donald Trump |
| Deputy | James E. McPherson |
| Preceded by | Mark Esper |
| Succeeded by | Christine E. Wormuth |
| In office June 24, 2019 – July 15, 2019 Acting |
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| President | Donald Trump |
| Preceded by | Mark Esper |
| Succeeded by | Mark Esper* |
| In office August 3, 2017 – November 20, 2017 Acting |
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| President | Donald Trump |
| Preceded by | Robert M. Speer (acting) |
| Succeeded by | Mark Esper |
| 33rd United States Under Secretary of the Army | |
| In office August 3, 2017 – September 30, 2019 |
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| President | Donald Trump |
| Preceded by | Brad Carson |
| Succeeded by | James E. McPherson |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1973/1974 (age 50–51) |
| Alma mater | |
| Awards | Combat Infantryman Badge |
| Military service | |
| Branch/service | United States Army |
| Years of service | 1997–2002 |
| Rank | Captain |
| Unit | 75th Ranger Regiment |
| Battles/wars | War in Afghanistan |
| *McCarthy served in an acting capacity until Esper's formal nomination to be Secretary of Defense was submitted to the Senate. While McCarthy served as Acting Army Secretary, McPherson served as Acting Under Secretary. | |
Ryan D. McCarthy (born around 1973) is an American business leader and former soldier. He served as the 24th United States Secretary of the Army from 2019 to 2021. This role made him the top civilian leader in charge of the U.S. Army.
Before becoming the official Secretary, he held the job in an "acting" or temporary role two other times.
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Education and Army Career
McCarthy earned a degree in history from the Virginia Military Institute. He later got a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree from the University of Maryland.
He was a U.S. Army Ranger and served in the 75th Ranger Regiment. His unit was part of the U.S. forces in Afghanistan. For his service and achievements, he was added to the U.S. Army Ranger Hall of Fame in 2019.
Working in Business and Government
Early in his career, McCarthy worked for the bank HSBC. He then worked for the U.S. government, helping a group in Congress that deals with other countries.
Later, he became a special assistant to Robert Gates, who was the United States Secretary of Defense. This was an important job where he worked closely with the head of the entire U.S. military.
In 2011, McCarthy began working for Lockheed Martin, a company that builds airplanes and other technology. He worked on major projects, including the F-35 fighter jet program.
In 2022, he joined Syracuse University as an expert advisor on strategy and other subjects.
Leading the U.S. Army
In 2017, President Donald Trump chose McCarthy to be the Under Secretary of the Army. This is the second-highest civilian job in the Army. The United States Senate approved his position on August 1, 2017.
As Under Secretary, he temporarily served as the Acting Secretary of the Army twice. During his first time in the role, he approved the creation of the Army Futures Command (AFC), a new organization focused on modernizing the Army.
U.S. Secretary of the Army
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President Trump officially nominated McCarthy to be the Secretary of the Army in June 2019. He was confirmed by the Senate and sworn into the job on September 30, 2019.
As Secretary, he was responsible for all aspects of the Army, from its soldiers and their families to its equipment and future plans. He met with leaders from other countries, like the United Kingdom's Minister of State for the Armed Forces, to work together on defense issues.
Responding to National Events
During the George Floyd protests in 2020, McCarthy called on the D.C. National Guard to help law enforcement in Washington, D.C. The National Guard is a part of the U.S. military that can be called to help during emergencies. Because Washington, D.C. is not a state, its National Guard reports to the President, who gives authority to the Secretary of the Army. An investigation was later held to review the use of military helicopters during the protests.
On January 6, 2021, when a crowd entered the U.S. Capitol building, there were questions about why the D.C. National Guard took time to arrive. McCarthy later told Congress that there had been no specific plans for the Guard to help Capitol police that day. The Guard's commander said that special rules put in place by McCarthy slowed down the response. A 2021 report from the Department of Defense later found that the actions taken to prepare for that day were appropriate.
Improving Military Housing
In 2018, news reports showed that some housing for military families was in bad condition. When McCarthy learned about these problems, he said he was embarrassed that the Army didn't know sooner. He thanked the families and reporters for speaking up.
As Secretary, he took steps to fix the problem. He put a high-ranking general in charge of housing and gave the Army power to punish the private companies that manage the housing if they did not do a good job.
Helping During the COVID-19 Pandemic
In March 2020, McCarthy ordered Army medical units to get ready to help with the COVID-19 pandemic. He sent hospital units from Army bases to New York and Washington state, two areas that were hit hard by the virus.
By April 2020, the Army had set up special medical teams in hospitals and convention centers to care for patients. The pandemic also affected how the Army trained new soldiers and moved families, so McCarthy created new programs to deal with these challenges.
Investigating Problems at Fort Hood
After the death of a soldier named Vanessa Guillén at the Fort Hood army base in 2020, McCarthy ordered a full, independent investigation. He said the case "shocked our conscience and brought attention to deeper problems."
The investigation found serious issues with the leadership and environment at Fort Hood. As a result, McCarthy announced that 14 leaders at the base were being disciplined. He said the tragedy "forced us to take a critical look at our systems, our policies, and ourselves."
Modernizing the Army
McCarthy was a strong supporter of modernizing the Army, which means updating its equipment and technology. He helped create the Army Futures Command in 2018. This command is based in Austin, Texas, and works with both the military and private companies to develop new tools for soldiers.
The command focuses on six main areas:
- Better long-range weapons
- New combat vehicles
- Advanced helicopters and aircraft
- A faster and more reliable Army computer network
- Improved air and missile defense systems
- Making soldiers safer and more effective
See also
In Spanish: Ryan D. McCarthy para niños
