UT System Chancellor McRaven receives prestigious CIA award

McLEAN, VA. — University of Texas System Chancellor William H. McRaven, a retired four-star Navy admiral who planned and orchestrated the operation that led to the death of Osama Bin Laden, received a top award from the CIA Officers Memorial Foundation Thursday for his service to the agency and the nation.

McRaven was named the 2016 Richard M. Helms Award recipient for his nearly four decades of exceptional military service, including his final assignment as commander of the U.S. Special Operations Command where he led a force of 69,000 men and women and was responsible for conducting counter-terrorism operations worldwide. McRaven was acknowledged at the ceremony for his standards of character, integrity and decency, as his military forces worked side-by-side with members of the Central Intelligence Agency to conduct clandestine operations, especially post-9/11.

Jerry Komisar, president of the CIA Officers Memorial Foundation, called McRaven a “national hero who successfully brought the military and intelligence communities together to protect the country on many missions.” The award is named after Richard M. Helms, who served as CIA director under presidents Lyndon B. Johnson and Richard M. Nixon as well as an ambassador to Iran.

The CIA Officers Memorial Foundation was created in December 2001 with the goal of providing scholarships and support to the families of CIA officers who died while on active duty.

CIA Director John Brennan and nearly all of the CIA’s top leadership were on hand to honor McRaven. Five former CIA directors, including Porter Goss, William Webster, James Woolsey, David Petraeus and George Tenet also attended the event.

Previous award winners have included former presidents George W. Bush and George H.W. Bush; former CIA directors Leon Panetta, George Tenet, Robert Gates and Michael Hayden; and former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger.

“I am humbled to be in the company of such great leaders who have been recognized by the CIA Officers Memorial Foundation for this honorable distinction,” McRaven said. “The Helms Award reflects not only an individual's contributions, but the contributions of countless men and women who have dedicated their lives to make America safe at home and strong abroad.”  

Since joining the UT System in 2015, McRaven has presented an ambitious vision to advance the System through eight Quantum Leaps, including the UT Network for National Security, a system-wide alliance that addresses the most vexing national security problems facing the nation. The network is using more than 40 institutes, centers and labs across the UT System’s 14 institutions to conduct research, convene world forums, and write, discuss, debate and present solutions.

“Today’s world is full of serious national security threats. Therefore, we must convene and collaborate with the brightest minds to find solutions,” McRaven said. “Higher education — with all its resources and intellectual capital — should play a key role in leading a world of complex national security issues.”

UT System Board of Regents Chairman Paul L. Foster said McRaven’s decades of leadership experience has served him well in higher education, where his innovation and vision is reshaping the System.

“I want to congratulate the Chancellor for being recognized for keeping America safe and making a lasting impact on national security,” Foster said. “Bill McRaven is a once-in-a-generation leader who inspires others to do great things and has the vision and experience to make the impossible a reality. We are fortunate he chose to continue serving the nation as the UT System’s leader.”

William Inboden, executive director of UT Austin’s Clements Center for National Security, said McRaven’s bold vision to create the UT Network for National Security will enable national security agencies such as the CIA to tap into a vast array of resources and expertise that are not available anywhere else.

“The CIA’s Helms Memorial Award selection committee suitably recognized what we see every day here at the University of Texas: in every role in his professional life, Chancellor McRaven has been dedicated to helping keep our nation safe and secure,” Inboden said. “The UT Network for National Security is the latest initiative in this distinguished tradition of service, as it seeks to train today’s students to be tomorrow’s national security leaders, and to provide innovative research insights for our nation’s national security community.”

A 1977 graduate of UT Austin’s College of Communication, McRaven is a Navy SEAL who earned his master’s degree from the Naval Postgraduate School. During his 37-year distinguished military career he has commanded at every level within the special operations community.

McRaven is a recognized national authority on U.S. foreign policy and has advised presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama and other U.S. leaders on defense issues. And his book, “Spec Ops: Case Studies in Special Operations Warfare: Theory and Practice,” published in several languages, is considered a fundamental text on special operations strategy.

McRaven’s military legacy goes beyond strategy and warfare. As SOCOM commander, McRaven spearheaded the creation of the Preservation of the Force & Family initiative to ensure the mental, spiritual and physical well-being of those who serve, as well as their families. His wife, Georgeann, has dedicated much of her career to playing a leadership role with military families and wounded warriors.

About The University of Texas System

Educating students, providing care for patients, conducting groundbreaking basic, applied and clinical research, and serving the needs of Texans and the nation for more than 130 years, The University of Texas System is one of the largest public university systems in the United States. With 14 institutions and an enrollment of more than 217,000, the UT System confers more than one-third of the state’s undergraduate degrees, educates almost two-thirds of the state’s health care professionals annually and accounts for almost 70 percent of all research funds awarded to public institutions in Texas. The UT System has an annual operating budget of $16.9 billion (FY 2016) including $3 billion in sponsored programs funded by federal, state, local and private sources. With about 20,000 faculty – including Nobel laureates – and more than 70,000 health care professionals, researchers, student advisors and support staff, the UT System is one of the largest employers in the state.