Former National Security Advisor General James Jones Rejoins CSIS Board of Trustees

WASHINGTON, January 4, 2011 – The Center for Strategic & International Studies (CSIS) is pleased to announce that former National Security Advisor General James L. Jones has rejoined the CSIS Board of Trustees where he previously served in from 2007-2008.  Gen. Jones joins former Senator Sam Nunn (D-GA), former Secretary of State Henry A. Kissinger, and former National Security Advisor Zbigniew Brzezinski on the 42-member CSIS Board.

"I am delighted to welcome General Jones back to the CSIS Board of Trustees,” said CSIS Board of Trustees Chairman Sam Nunn. “All of us owe our thanks to Jim for his dedication to keeping America safe and for his selfless commitment to public service.  General Jones’s leadership and excellent judgment will once again be invaluable to CSIS.”

During his previous term as a member of the CSIS Board of Trustees, Gen. Jones chaired the Independent Commission on the Security Forces of Iraq, an independent commission appointed by the United State Congress to conduct an assessment of the Iraqi Security Forces in 2007.

Gen. Jones served as U.S. National Security Advisor from January 2009 until November of 2010.  From July 1999 to January 2003, General Jones was the 32nd Commandant of the Marine Corps. After relinquishing command as Commandant, he assumed the positions of Supreme Allied Commander, Europe (SACEUR) and Commander of the United States European Command (USEUCOM), positions he held until December 2006. Gen. Jones retired from active duty in the U.S. Marine Corps on February 1, 2007, after more than 40 years of uniformed service to the nation.

On November 28, 2007, Gen. Jones was appointed as the State Department’s Special Envoy for Middle East Regional Security. In this capacity, he worked with Israeli and Palestinian officials in furthering the Peace Process, focusing on the full range of security issues in order to strengthen security for both sides.

Gen. Jones spent his formative years in France, returning to the United States to attend Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in 1966. He was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the Marine Corps in January 1967 and, later that year was ordered to the Republic of Vietnam, where he served as a Platoon and Company Commander.

Gen. Jones served in a variety of command and staff positions while stationed in the United States, Europe, and Okinawa, Japan. In addition to combat experience in Vietnam, his deployment experience includes tours as Commander, 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit, in Operation Provide Comfort in Northern Iraq and Turkey; Chief of Staff, Joint Task Force Provide Promise, for operations in Bosnia-Herzegovina and Macedonia; and Commanding General, 2nd Marine Division, Marine Forces Atlantic.

In addition to having been awarded national and international military awards, Gen. Jones received a Bachelor of Science degree (1966) and an Honorary Doctorate of Letters (2002) from

Georgetown University. In June 1985, he graduated from the National War College in Washington, D.C.

Gen. Jones and his wife Diane have four children and nine grandchildren.

“We are honored that General Jones has decided to rejoin our Board of Trustees,” said CSIS President and CEO, John Hamre.  “We are all deeply indebted to General Jones for his incredible record of accomplishment and the sacrifices he and his family have made in order to serve.”

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The Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) is a bipartisan, non-profit organization that seeks to advance global security and prosperity by providing strategic insights and practical policy solutions to decision-makers.

The CSIS Board of Trustees sets and guides the policies of the Center.  Trustees take an active role in determining and participating in the intellectual agenda of CSIS, culminating in outreach to the policymaking community.  They are involved in various ways at CSIS including providing leadership of important projects, participating in special events and assisting with select fundraising.