Lieutenant General (Retired) Michael K. Nagata served in the U.S. Army from February 1981 to August 2019.  Today he works as a Strategic Advisor and Senior Vice President for CACI International, and is a Distinguished Senior Fellow for the Middle East Institute, and is affiliated with several other DC-based  Think-Tanks.

His military career spanned 38 years of active Army service; including 34 years serving in US Special Operations Forces.  His final government position was Director of Strategic Operational Planning for the U.S. National Counterterrorism Center from 2016 to 2019.

During his career, LTG(R) Nagata deployed in multiple Contingency and Combat special operations and campaigns across three continents, including East and North Africa, the Middle East, and Levant, and Central and South Asia; predominantly in the Counterterrorism & Counterinsurgency arenas.  He also served in both Strategy and Policy positions in the Office of the Secretary of Defense, the Joint Staff, two assignments in the U.S. Intelligence Community, and extensive service at US Diplomatic posts abroad.