The Marine Corps Association & Foundation was privileged to host the 26th Secretary of Defense and retired Marine General James N. Mattis at two recent events. The general served as the guest of honor at a luncheon on September 25, 2019. Held in coordination with the Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation and the Marine Corps University Foundation, the professional event provided an opportunity for Marines and friends of the Corps to hear one of the nation’s leaders whose experiences in Washington, D.C., and on the battlefield provided him with a unique perspective on world events. The ballroom of The Clubs at Quantico was packed with guests eager to hear from the former commander of U.S. Central Command and I Marine Expeditionary Force who also graciously signed numerous copies of his recently released book, “Call Sign Chaos: Learning to Lead,” which he co-authored with Bing West.

General Mattis returned to Quantico in late October to serve as the guest speaker at the Marine Corps Association & Foundation Combat Development Dinner, hosted by Lieutenant General Eric M. Smith, Deputy Commandant for Combat Development and Integration and Commanding General, Marine Corps Combat Development Command. Held once again at The Clubs at Quantico, the professional military education event was the largest ever hosted by MCA&F with more than 500 guests in attendance. The general spoke to the crowd on a variety of topics including the need for allies, General Berger’s Commandant’s Planning Guidance and lessons he learned during his time in the Corps.

Gen Mattis also took questions from the audience, many of whom were students at various schools throughout Marine Corps University, including the Marine Corps War College, Command and Staff College and The Basic School. As active-duty Marines, the students’ attendance at the dinner, as it is with all MCA&F professional events, was funded through donations to MCAF’s programs for Marines. Marines from Expeditionary Warfare School, including those shown in the photo to the left, were especially thrilled to meet one of the icons of the Corps.

”Thanks to Marine Corps coaching, thanks to the Commandant’s Reading List…I knew exactly how I was going to nail them…I knew that we were going to destroy them.”
-General James N. Mattis, USMC (Ret)

The Marine Corps Gazette and Leatherneck published exclusive interviews with Gen Mattis in the October 2019 issues in which the retired four-star discussed his career as a Marine, the influence his junior Marines and mentors had on him, and the lessons he hoped to impart on the next generation of Marines.