Lloyd Austin
United States Secretary of Defense
Lloyd Austin, 70, is a retired US Army four-star general who serves as the 28th United States secretary of defense. Nominated by President Joe Biden, he is the first African American to serve in that role. Austin is a staunch defender of Israel and his recent work has strengthened the ties between India and the US. He was raised by a devout Catholic mother and still practises his faith.
Martin Dempsey
General and former Joint Chiefs of Staff
Martin Dempsey, 71, served as the 18th chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and is a retired US Army general who also previously served as the Chief of Staff of the Army. He attended John S Burke Catholic High School in New York and holds a master’s degree in literature from Duke University, writing his thesis on the Irish literary revival. He has given a lecture on faith in geopolitics for the Duke Catholic Center and was the principal speaker at Notre Dame’s 171st University Commencement Ceremony in 2016.
