Mark Esper

American cabinet member of the Trump administration who has served as the 27th United States secretary of defense since 23 July 2019. He previously served as acting secretary of defense and was the 23rd United States secretary of the Army from 2017 to 2019. Prior to joining the Defense Department, Esper was an American corporate executive and military veteran. He was vice president of government relations at Raytheon, a major U.S. defense contractor. During his time at Raytheon, Esper was recognized as a top corporate lobbyist by The Hill in 2015 and in 2016. Esper served as an infantry officer with the 101st Airborne Division and deployed with the "Screaming Eagles" for the 1990–1991 Gulf War. His battalion was part of the famous "left hook" that led to the defeat of the Iraqi Army. For his actions, Esper was awarded a Bronze Star, the Combat Infantryman's Badge, and various service medals. Esper was on active duty for over ten years before transitioning to the Army National Guard and later the Army Reserve, rising to the rank of lieutenant colonel. Link to Wikipedia biography