The Commission

In June 2023, President Joseph R. Biden appointed U.S. Army Gen. (Ret.) Michael X. Garrett to the American Battle Monuments Commission, and was elected chairman by his fellow commissioners in August.

Garrett, born in Cleveland, Ohio and raised on military installations across the world, has spent his entire life in and around the U.S. Army. He is the proud son of Lola Garrett, a U.S. Army spouse and life-long public servant, and Command Sergeant Major Edward Garrett, a Vietnam War combat veteran and Silver Star recipient.

An alumnus of both the Department of Defense High School in Baumholder, Germany, and Xavier University in Cincinnati, Garrett began his own Army journey in 1984. He served his formative years in the elite 75th Ranger Regiment, and over a decade was assigned to and wore the scrolls of the Regiment’s headquarters and each of its three Ranger battalions.

Garrett went on to command his own formations in the 82nd Airborne and 25th Infantry Divisions, served multiple combat tours in the Middle East, and ultimately led 750,000 combat and support personnel within the Army’s largest organization: Forces Command.

After 38 years of active service, he retired as an Army four-star general, and continues to build connections with U.S. service members and their families, patriotic communities across America, and soldier-friendly universities and businesses. Upon retirement, he was inducted by his own son as a Distinguished Member of the 75th Ranger Regiment, and is the recipient of the Ellis Island Honors Society Medal of Honor along with honorary degrees from Methodist and Xavier University.

Daniel P. Woodward retired from the U.S. Air Force as a brigadier general, following more than 28 years of distinguished service. While in the Air Force, Woodward served in a variety of operational and staff positions, including tours as a Wing Commander and as a flag officer on the Joint Staff and the Air Staff. He is a command pilot with more than 3,000 military flight hours and is married to his college sweetheart, retired U.S. Air Force Major General Maggie Woodward. Following retirement from the Air Force, Woodward served as vice president, Integrated Solutions, General Dynamics Information Technology. After leaving his position with General Dynamics, he became Executive Director of Arnold Air Society and Silver Wings, a nationwide collegiate nonprofit that builds young military and civilian servant leaders through the lessons found in community service, unique professional development experiences, and education. He continues to serve in this position as well as a Planning Commissioner for Placer County California.

Darrell Dorgan is a North Dakota native and an award-winning journalist who worked as a television news director/anchor for 25-years. He is married with two daughters and currently chairs Dakom Communications/Dorgan Films, a corporation involved in real estate and producing television documentaries. Dorgan is a Vietnam Veteran who belongs to AMVETS, VFW, DAV, and the American Legion. He was appointed to the American Battle Monuments Commission for eight years by President Obama and to the Kennedy Center Advisory Board by President Clinton. He has also served on the North Dakota Historical Society Foundation Board for 25-years, as the head of the North Dakota Cowboy Hall of Fame and chaired the recent North Dakota World War I Centennial Commission.
 

Ambassador John L. Estrada emigrated to the United States from Trinidad and Tobago at the age of fourteen. He went on to serve 34 years in the U.S. Marine Corps, attaining the rank of 15th Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps from 2003 to 2007. After retirement, he went on to work for Lockheed Martin Corporation as the Senior Manager for Training Solution Incorporated from 2008 to 2016. He was nominated by President Barack Obama and confirmed by the Senate to serve as the U.S. Ambassador to Trinidad and Tobago, the country of his birth, from 2016 to 2017. He also served as a volunteer member on the Joe Biden Presidential Transition Agency Review Team for the Department of Defense from November 2020 to January 2021. Ambassador Estrada is a veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Southern Watch. His personal awards include the Navy Distinguished Service Medal, the Bronze Star Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal with three gold stars, the Navy/Marine Corps Commendation Medal, the Joint Service Achievement Medal, and Navy/Marine Corps Achievement Medal. He is a former board member for Operation Homefront, a nonprofit organization that provides emergency assistance for members of the military, those wounded, and the families they leave behind. He is also a former member of the board of governors for the USO, former member of the Defense Advisory Committee on Women in the Services, former member of the Executive Advisory Council for Mission Readiness, and former Commissioner with the American Battle Monuments Commission. Ambassador Estrada is a life time member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the Marine Corps League, and the Montford Point Marine Association. He resides in West Palm Beach Florida.
 

Florent "Flo" Groberg served in the U.S. Army from 2008 to 2015, and is a recipient of the Medal of Honor, the United States' highest military honor, for his extraordinary gallantry, intrepidity and heroism while serving in combat operations in Afghanistan in 2012. Today, Groberg leads the Microsoft Azure Global Government M360 Mission Solution Team. He is responsible for working with governments worldwide to identify key missions and systems that should operate on the Azure Cloud. He holds a master's degree in management with a specialization in intelligence policies from the University of Maryland University College in College Park, Md. He is married to Carsen Groberg, with whom he has a dog named V and a cat named Ranger.

Ever since her late husband, Lt. (SEAL) Brendan Looney was killed in Afghanistan on September 21, 2010, and awarded the Bronze Star with Valor, Amy Looney has served as an inspirational champion for families of fallen service members, military families, veterans, and American troops. Serving as Vice President of the Travis Manion Foundation, Amy leads a national movement focused on empowering veterans and families of the fallen to foster the next generation of leaders in the mission to unite communities to strengthen America's national character. She is dedicated to carrying on the legacy of her late husband and friend, Travis Manion, who are buried side by side in Arlington National Cemetery. A personal tragedy fueled an impassioned advocate to inspire, motivate, and empower individuals, communities, and a nation, to honor the fallen by challenging the living. A consistent voice to the national conversation and advocacy of veterans and families of the fallen, Amy is frequently invited to address national audiences on Fox News, CNN, CBS, TED-X, in written publications such as the Washington Post, and multiple personal appearances spanning the U.S. She is the co-author of the newly released book, The Knock at the Door. Amy received her bachelor’s degree in Business Management from Johns Hopkins University and her Master’s in Public Administration from George Washington University. She currently resides in the Chicago area with her husband, Joel, daughter, Grace and dog, Payton.

Brigadier General Matthew E. Jones is the Deputy Director for Operations on the Joint Staff at the Pentagon. In this role, he leads the Operations Team in the National Military Command Center and oversees national security activities, including global military operations and nuclear command and control. A veteran combat airlift commander with three deployments, Brigadier General Jones has also held various positions at Headquarters, U.S. Air Force, and Joint roles, including serving as the Special Assistant to the Director of the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency.
Before his current assignment, Brigadier General Jones served as the Commander of the 89th Airlift Wing, which supports worldwide special air missions for the President, Vice President, cabinet members, combatant commanders, and other senior military and elected leaders.
A native of Arizona, Brigadier General Jones resides in Maryland with his family. He is a distinguished graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy, where he earned a B.S. degree. He also holds master’s degrees from Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government, the Army War College, and the University of Pittsburgh’s Katz Graduate School of Business.

Raymond D. Kemp Sr. is a U.S. Navy veteran who culminated 33 years of service as the Fleet Master Chief of Europe and Africa. While on active duty, he served six presidents, completing 11 combat deployments, with 19 years of sea duty. In times of high conflict, he provided training and mentorship for Sailors during the execution of their lethal duties. As the Fleet Master Chief of Europe and Africa, he had oversight and influence over 56,000 service members, civilians, contractors, and family members. He is the founder of Kemp Solutions LLC, a leadership development and resilience building company. With an ever-present heart for the warrior, he also serves as Vice President on the board of Mystic Warrior Foundation. This organization helps transitioning service members cope with the challenges of PTSD and combat-related stress. Raymond also serves on the Bob Feller Act of Valor Foundation and Wings Over America boards, which provide scholarships to service members and their families.

Bud Pettigrew is a former U.S. Marine and teacher who has acted as Chair of Chairs of the Nebraska Democratic Party since 2009. He served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1982-1983, before being medically discharged as a result of a broken neck. Pettigrew taught History and coached football, wrestling, and track in various Nebraska public schools from 1989 to 2009, then was a project manager at the Minnechaduza Foundation in Valentine, Neb., from 2010-2020. The Foundation develops and supports scientific, clinical, and community initiatives that support improved health of Great Plains dwellers, while promoting and preserving their unique cultural and historical values. He is a three-time Morrison-Exon Award winner for the Nebraska Democratic Party, was a 2012 Nebraska national delegate for President Obama, and a 2020 Nebraska national delegate and whip captain for President Biden’s 2020 presidential campaign. Pettigrew holds a bachelor’s degree in History and Social Science Education from Hastings College, Hastings, Neb., and did graduate work in History at Wayne State College. He and his wife Angela have two sons, Arthur and Evan.

Michael E. Smith is a retired U.S. Navy Rear Admiral who recently co-founded and led the American College of National Security Leaders, a national security think tank committed to strengthening the United States' national security initiatives by informing the debate, influencing decision-makers, and educating the public. During his 32-year naval career he commanded at all operational levels from the commanding officer of the Navy’s newest destroyer to command of an aircraft carrier strike group.

He served as the Special Assistant to two Chairmen of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, where his team conducted independent research and provided unfiltered direct advice on the most strategic and pressing national security topics. In his first flag officer assignment he was the director of the Navy’s Strategy and Policy Division, where he oversaw a broad Pentagon, legislative, and Navy-wide portfolio, including responsibility for integrating emerging national strategy with Navy and Defense policy initiatives. Smith is currently an Adjunct Research Associate for the Institute for Defense Analysis, where he leads a diverse international team facilitating defense transformation efforts through in-country advisory and consulting services to the most senior Indonesian military and government officials. He also Chairs the Board of MVLE, a dynamic non-profit that caters to the diverse needs of individuals with disabilities through specialized services that foster personal and professional growth.

Gail Berry West is a retired attorney who formerly headed both the Washington Office of Armstrong World Industries and Bell Communications Research. She was born in Cincinnati, Ohio and received her B.A. in history from Fisk University, graduating magna cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa. She continued her education at the University of Cincinnati receiving her M.A. in History and her J.D. degree from Howard University School of Law.

She began her career as a corporate attorney in the Office of the General Counsel of IBM. She was an appointee of the Carter Administration where she held positions of Special Assistant to the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, Patricia Roberts Harris; Staff Assistant to the Interdepartmental Task Force on Women under Sarah Weddington; Assistant to President Carter and completed her public service as Deputy Assistant Secretary of the U.S. Air Force in Manpower and Reserve Affairs.

She has served on numerous boards during her career including the Arena Stage, WETA, and the Corcoran Museum of Art where she was Secretary of the Board for five years. She served on the Board of the District of Columbia Commission on the Arts and Humanities, on the Board of the Protestant Episcopal Cathedral Foundation, the Smithsonian National Museum of American History, the Fisher Foundation, the White House Historical Association, Hillwood Museum and Gardens, The Dean’s Council of the National Cathedral and as Vice Regent for the District of Columbia to the Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association.

She is the widow of the Honorable Togo D. West, Jr., an attorney and former Secretary of the Army and Secretary of Veterans Affairs in the Clinton Administration. She is the mother of two daughters who are also both attorneys.

In May 2022, President Joseph R. Biden appointed Charles K. Djou to serve as the Secretary of the American Battle Monuments Commission.

An Afghanistan war veteran, Djou served for over 20 years in the US Army Reserve, achieving the rank of colonel. In Operation Enduring Freedom, Djou deployed with the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry) to Kandahar, Afghanistan, in 2011-12. In the Army, Djou served with units based in Hawaii, California, Alaska, South Korea, and Germany.

Djou is a former Member of Congress, Hawaii, 1st Congressional District, where he served on the House Armed Services Committee and House Budget Committee. He also won elections to the Hawaii State House of Representatives, where he was the Minority (Republican) Floor Leader; and the Honolulu City Council where he was Chair of the Zoning Committee. Outside of politics, Djou taught at the University of Hawaii law school and more recently at Hawaii Pacific University.

Djou attended college and earned a business degree from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Finance, a law degree from the University of Southern California Gould School of Law and holds a MA (Strategic Studies) from the US Army War College.

He and his wife are both lifelong residents of Hawaii and together happily raising their son and two daughters (and a dog) in the Aloha State.