H. R. McMaster (American Army Personnel) Biography

Quick Info

Profession	Army Personnel
Nationality	American
Date of Birth	24/07/1962
Age	63 years
Birthplace	Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.

Latest News about H. R. McMaster

26/02/2026

H.R. McMaster appeared as a speaker at the Face to Face Speaker Forum at Wake Forest University on February 26, 2026, discussing his experience as former National Security Advisor and his work as a bestselling author.

20/02/2026

H.R. McMaster joined Colin Kahl on the World Class podcast to examine America's evolving National Security Strategy. He discussed the 2025 strategy alongside Jake Sullivan, addressing key issues including Venezuela, Iran, Russia, China, Ukraine, and U.S. partnerships with Europe.

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Bio/Wiki

Real Name	Herbert Raymond McMaster
Nickname	The Iconoclast General
Rank	Lieutenant General (Retired)

Physical Stats & More

Height	6' 1"
Weight	86 kg
Eye Color	Grey
Hair Color	Bald

Educational Qualification(s)

School	Valley Forge Military Academy and College, Wayne, Pennsylvania, United States
College/University	United States Military Academy (West Point, Army), New York, United States University of North Carolina (UNC), Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States
Degrees	Master of Arts in American History Ph.D. in American History from the University of North Carolina Bachelor of Science from United States Military Academy (1984) Ph.D. in American History from University of North Carolina (1996)

Personal Life

Religion	Christianity
Ethnicity	White American
Hobbies	Reading Writing

Relationships & More

Marital Status	Married
Affairs/Girlfriends	Kathleen Trotter (1983-present)

Family

Father	Name
Mother	Name
Spouse	Kathleen Trotter, Teacher (1985-present)
Children	Katharine (defense analyst in Washington, D.C.) Caragh (Teacher) Collen (kindergarten teacher)

Career

Service Years	1984-2018
Wars/Battles	Persian Gulf War Battle of 73 Easting Iraq War War in Afghanistan
Key Positions	25th National Security Advisor to the President (February 20, 2017 - April 9, 2018) Commander, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment, Iraq (2005-2006) Commander, Combined Joint Inter-Agency Task Force Shafafiyat, Afghanistan (2010-2012) Commanding General, Maneuver Center of Excellence and Fort Benning (2012-2014) Director, Army Capabilities Integration Center (2014-2017) Deputy Commanding General, U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command (2014-2017)

Some Lesser Known Facts

1. H. R. McMaster's smoking habits are unknown.
2. H. R. McMaster does drink alcohol.
3. In 1984, he was assigned to the 2nd Armored Division at Fort Hood.
4. He received a "Silver Star" for his actions in the Gulf War.
5. From 1994 to 1996, he was a Professor of Military History at West Point.
6. Time recognized him as one of the 100 most influential people globally in April 2014.
7. On February 20, 2017, President Donald Trump appointed him as the National Security Advisor.
8. He commanded the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment in Iraq from 2005 to 2006.
9. He commanded Task Force Shafafiyat in Afghanistan from 2010 to 2012.
10. He commanded Fort Benning and the Maneuver Center of Excellence from 2012 to 2014.
11. He was Director of the Army Capabilities Integration Center from 2014 to 2017.
12. He resigned as National Security Advisor on March 22, 2018, effective April 9, 2018.
13. He retired from the U.S. Army in June 2018.
14. He is the Fouad and Michelle Ajami Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution, Stanford University.
15. He hosts the Battlegrounds podcast at the Hoover Institution.
16. From 1994 to 1996, he was an assistant professor of military history at West Point, teaching undergraduate courses in military history and graduate courses on military leadership.
17. He commanded Eagle Troop, 2nd Cavalry Regiment during the Battle of 73 Easting in the Gulf War.
18. He was replaced by John R. Bolton as National Security Advisor.
19. He is a Distinguished University Fellow at Arizona State University.
20. He is a lecturer at the Graduate School of Business at Stanford University.
21. His book Dereliction of Duty: Lyndon Johnson, Robert McNamara, the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Lies that Led to Vietnam (1997) was a New York Times bestseller and is widely read in military circles.
22. His dissertation at UNC was critical of American strategy and military leadership during the Vietnam War.
23. He has published numerous essays and articles in Foreign Affairs, The Wall Street Journal, and The New York Times.
24. He was a contributing editor for Survival: Global Politics and Strategy from 2010 to 2017.
25. He is also the author of Battlegrounds: The Fight to Defend the Free World.

H. R. McMaster Army Personnel American Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.