It’s probably worth noting that although I’m ethnically Greek, my grandfather was actually born in Turkey and came through Greece on his way to the United States. James G. Stavridis Read Quote
Eighty-five percent cannot read when they enter the security forces of Afghanistan. Why? Because the Taliban withheld education during the period of time in which these men and women would have learned to read. James G. Stavridis Read Quote
I grew up as a baseball player, and given my modest size, it was always clear that I would end up playing in the infield. James G. Stavridis Read Quote
I spent much of my life – almost 40 years – as a military officer. My specialty was in the part of the Navy that operates ocean-going ships, and as a result, I was at sea for many months at a time. James G. Stavridis Read Quote
As a geographic location, Greece offers the best bases in the NATO Alliance from which to operate in the trouble spots of the Middle East and the Mediterranean. James G. Stavridis Read Quote
After 37 years in the Navy, there were no further jobs in uniform, and it was my time to transition. But I wanted to continue to mentor and educate young people, which is, of course, a big part of being a senior officer in the military. James G. Stavridis Read Quote
Russian strategy seems to center on maintaining Putin’s popularity at home; building a strong military capacity in special forces, nuclear weapons, and advanced submarines; pressuring nearby nations to join various defense and customs pacts dominated by Russia; and pushing back on the U.S. wherever convenient. James G. Stavridis Read Quote
All of the military services – land, sea, and air – spend a great deal of time awake. This is a direct result of the high tempo of operations we conduct while forward deployed well outside our national borders. James G. Stavridis Read Quote
I’ve never been in a ‘Twitter fight,’ though I’ve witnessed my fair share. I do enjoy vigorous and informed debate, but the benefit is lost when the exchange becomes a series of petty ad hominem attacks. I don’t see much value in it. James G. Stavridis Read Quote
