Michael McDevitt

Since transitioning from his role as director of CNA Strategic Studies to that of senior fellow, RADM Mike McDevitt has focused on the Maritime disputes in East Asia. He recently led a major project that looked at security issues along the long Indo-Pacific littoral from the perspective of the five major maritime basins—the Arabian Sea, the Bay of Bengal, the South China Sea, the East China and Yellow Sea, and the Sea of Japan—that make up this long littoral. In addition, he continues to lead a project that conducts Track II dialogues with the leading maritime oriented research centers in Asia. He has also been an active participant and panelist in conferences and workshops regarding security issues related to maritime security and U.S. security policy and has had a number of papers published in edited volumes on these subjects. He has particular expertise in East Asia affairs, with his most recent research efforts focusing on the maritime dimension of China’s national strategy.

Previous Positions

McDevitt has been at CNA since leaving active duty in 1997. During his Navy career, McDevitt held four at-sea commands, including command of an aircraft carrier battle group. He was a Chief of Naval Operations Strategic Studies Group fellow at the Naval War College and was director of the East Asia Policy Office for the Secretary of Defense during the George H.W. Bush Administration. He also served for two years as the director for Strategy, War Plans and Policy (J-5) for U.S. CINCPAC. McDevitt concluded his 34-year active-duty career as the Commandant of the National War College in Washington, D.C.

Education

M.A. in American Diplomatic History, Georgetown University; B.A. in U.S. History, University of Southern California; graduate of the National War College, Washington, D.C.