way to train
leaders
Rewarding officers for toeing the line throughout their
early careers is no way to develop the creative thinkers
needed to fill the military’s most senior positions.
Lt. Gen. Claude Christianson aims to change that.

RETIRED LT. GEN. CLAUDE CHRISTIANSON BRINGS A long résumé to his latest assignment as senior director of the Center for Joint and Strategic Logistics at the National Defense University. His role there is to lead the center in developing the next generation of logistics professionals with special expertise in national security. The center is also working to improve joint logistics education across the military and national security services and support logistics research efforts both within the Department of Defense (DOD) and across U.S. government.

Lt. Gen. Christianson’s last position before retiring from the Army in 2008 was director of logistics for the Joint Staff in Washington, D.C. In that role, he coordinated efforts across the defense logistics community, including the office

of the secretary of defense, the services, the combatant commands, the industrial base, and our multinational and interagency partners. Prior to that, he had major responsibility during the combat phase of Operation Iraqi Freedom, where he directed in-theater logistics support for all land forces.

Lt. Gen. Christianson has been described by some as perhaps the finest logistics operator ever produced by the U.S. military. He spoke recently with DC VELOCITY Editor at Large Steve Geary.

QCan you fill us in on what you’ve been doing since you arrived at the center? ASince joining the center in October 2009, I’ve had the opportunity to work with experts across defense logis-