Secretary of the Army

Ryan D. McCarthy was unanimously confirmed by the U.S. Senate and appointed as the 33rd Under Secretary of the Army, Aug. 1, 2017. He served as the Acting Secretary of the Army from his appointment until Nov. 16, 2017. The Under Secretary of the Army is the Secretary of the Army's senior civilian assistant and principal adviser on matters relating to the management and operation of the Army, which includes development and integration of Army programs and budget. He is responsible for the effective and efficient organization of the Army's operations and initiatives for the business transformation of the Army.

Prior to his confirmation, McCarthy worked for Lockheed Martin Corporation in sequential vice president roles responsible for the sustainment, customer solutions and program integration of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program and the company's global security policy.

McCarthy previously served as the special assistant to the 22nd Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, under Presidents Bush and Obama, where he advised as the secretary's representative to the White House, Congress, National Security Agencies and other Foreign Governments. He also served as the special assistant to the under secretary of defense for Acquisition Technology and Logistics and was responsible for policy development and coordination with the joint staff and uniformed services acquisition leaders on procurement and supply chain management policies. He also served as a professional staff member in the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on International Relations. Prior to his legislative experience, from 2002 to 2005, he worked for the Hong Kong Shanghai Banking Corporation as their Vice President of Commercial Financing.

McCarthy proudly served in the U.S. Army from 1997 to 2002 and was involved in combat operations in Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom with the 75th Ranger Regiment, U.S. Special Operations Command.

He holds a Bachelor of Arts in History from Virginia Military Institute and a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Maryland's Robert H. Smith School of Business.

McCarthy and his wife have been married for over 10 years and have one daughter.