Department of War 🇺🇸

Jay Hurst, Under Secretary of War (Comptroller)/Chief Financial Officer. Hurst’s military and civilian career include assignments on the Army Staff, with the Joint Special Operations Command Intelligence Brigade, the 75th Ranger Regiment, and U.S. Central Command. He deployed to Afghanistan four times as a senior intelligence officer supporting a Joint Special Operations Task Force. He also supported the initial stand-up of Project Maven, the Algorithmic Warfare Cross-Functional Team. He continues to serve in the Army Reserve as an FA59 Army Strategist.

Dane Hughes, Assistant Secretary of War for Legislative Affairs. Hughes served in the United States Army as an Infantry and Psychological Operations Officer from March 2006 to October 2014. During his Army career, he deployed in support of three combat tours to Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom, where he received the Bronze Star, Army Commendation Medal with Valor (2 Awards), the Purple Heart, and Combat Infantry Badge.

Anthony Tata, Under Secretary of War for Personnel and Readiness. Tata served for 28 years in the United States Army, commanding a paratrooper battalion in the 82nd Airborne Division and an air assault brigade in the 101st Airborne Division. He served as the Deputy Commanding General of the 10th Mountain Division and Joint Task Force 76 in Afghanistan from 2006-2007. He also served as the deputy director of Joint Concept Development and Experimentation as well as the Joint IED Defeat Organization. Mr. Tata’s operational deployments and missions include Operation Uphold Democracy to support Haitian stability, Operation Joint Endeavor in Bosnia and Croatia, Operation Jungle Warrior in Panama, Operation Joint Guardian in Kosovo, and Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan.

Bradley Hansell, Under Secretary of War for Intelligence and Security. Mr. Hansell is a retired U.S. Army Special Forces Officer who commanded Special Forces teams in South America and Afghanistan. He began his military career in the Navy as a Surface Warfare Officer, where he served in the Middle East and Asia-Pacific maritime theaters. His awards include the Bronze Star, Purple Heart, and Meritorious Service Medal.

Hung Cao, Acting Secretary of the Navy. Cao entered the Navy as a Seaman Recruit in 1989 and was later commissioned as a Special Operations Officer from the United States Naval Academy in 1996. As a Navy Diver, Cao led underwater missions around the world. As an Explosive Ordnance Disposal Officer, he led counter improvised threat missions for Special Warfare and Special Forces around the world with multiple deployments to Iraq, Afghanistan and Somalia. In his final tour of duty, he led sensitive activities, exploitation, counter-messaging and counter-drone operations in support of the Geographic Combatant Commanders and Special Operations Command. He retired from active duty in October 2021 as a Captain.

Dr. Troy Meink, Secretary of the Air Force. Meink entered the Air Force in 1988 through the Reserve Officer Training Corps program at South Dakota State University. His assignments have included operations and training, systems engineering, research and development, and program management of major defense acquisition programs. Dr. Meink began his career as a KC-135 Tanker Navigator and Instructor and then a lead test engineer for the design and evaluation of ballistic missile test vehicles for the Ballistic Missile Defense Organization (now Missile Defense Agency). As a rated officer, Dr. Meink completed 100 sorties including 8 combat and 29 combat support missions in support of operations Desert Shield, Desert Storm, and Provide Comfort.

Eric Geressy, Senior Advisor to the Secretary of War(Strategy). Geressy enlisted into the Army at the age of seventeen in August 1988 as an Infantrymen. He has held every leadership position as a Non-Commissioned Officer in Infantry units for over 26 years. Mr. Geressy served overseas 11 years out of his 26 years of military service. This included three Combat Deployments totaling 38 months of combat in Iraq spanning from 2003-2009. He served with the 3rd Brigade 101st Airborne Division during the Initial Invasion, in Al Hillah, Baghdad, Sinjar, and Mosul. His last combat deployment was in East Rashid, Baghdad during the Surge with the 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment. Military Awards and Decorations include the Distinguished Service Cross, Defense Superior Service Medal, Three Bronze Star Medals, Army Commendation Medal with Valor Device, Valorous Unit Award, Combat Infantrymen’s Badge, and the Iraq Campaign Medal (5th Award).

Sean Parnell, Senior Advisor to the Secretary of War & Assistant to the Secretary of War for Public Affairs. Parnell is a combat veteran and leader who commanded one of the most decorated units in the history of the Afghanistan War. During his 16-month deployment, he was awarded numerous honors for his extraordinary service, including two Bronze Stars (one for valor) and the Purple Heart. Eighty-five percent of his platoon received Purple Hearts for wounds incurred in battle, but his men gave far more than they received. His platoon killed more than 350 enemy fighters in some of the deadliest firefights of the 20-year operation. In addition to leading soldiers through heavy combat, Sean helped lead diplomatic negotiations on the ground in one of the most hostile & unforgiving geographic locations on the planet—the Af/Pak border.

Ricky Buria, Chief of Staff to the Secretary of War. Buria served with distinction in the United States Marine Corps for over 20 years, retiring at the rank of Colonel. A highly decorated combat veteran, he is an experienced EA-6B Prowler and MV-22 Osprey pilot who completed multiple operational deployments to Iraq, Afghanistan, Africa, and the Western Pacific in support of national security objectives. During his military career, Mr. Buria held several critical leadership and staff positions, including serving as the executive officer for Marine Aircraft Group 16 and The Basic School, and commanding Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 362 as an aviation combat element on the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit.

Today, we honor the patriots who have worn the uniform and answered the call to serve. America stands because of warriors like them.

On this Veterans Day, we honor the warriors who proudly wore the uniform and served our great nation.