Events
Book Talk: A Conversation with General (Ret) Frank McKenzie
Presented by The Center for Strategic & Diplomatic Studies
Join Dr. Mohsen Milani and General McKenzie as they engage in a discussion about his
new book, The Melting Point: High Command and War in the 21st Century.
As Commander, U.S. Central Command, General Frank McKenzie oversaw some of the most
important – and controversial – operations in modern U.S. military history. The Melting Point is a first-person perspective on his time in command. Woven throughout the stark,
compelling narrative are three themes. The first is the importance of civilian control
of the military. The second is the uniqueness of being a combatant commander, existing
at the nexus of policy, strategy, and, ultimately, operations. The third theme is
the importance of leaders and the decisions that they make. This book offers a vivid
portrait of leadership in action in one of the most volatile regions of the world.
Following the conversation, General McKenzie will host a book signing session.
100% of the proceeds from the sale of his book go to these three charities:
Marine Corps Law Enforcement Foundation, the Semper Fi and American’s Fund, and the
Citadel Foundation.
Event Date & Time
Date: Wednesday, September 11, 2024
Time: 6:00 - 7:30 p.m.
Event Location
Charles William Young Hall (CWY)
Second Floor, Auditorium
12303 USF Genshaft Drive
TAMPA, FL, 33620
Kindly register to attend by September 3
ABOUT GENERAL (RET) KENNETH F. “FRANK” MCKENZIE JR.
General (Ret) Kenneth F. “Frank” McKenzie, Jr. became the Executive Director of the
University of South Florida’s Global and National Security Institute in May 2022.
In July 2022, he also became the Executive Director of the Florida Center for Cybersecurity,
also known as Cyber Florida. He is the former Commander, United States Central Command.
General McKenzie’s book, titled The Melting Point: High Command and War in the 21st Century , was published in June by the U.S. Naval Institute Press and details his three years
as commander of U.S. Central Command (USCENTCOM).
A native of Birmingham, Alabama, upon graduation from The Citadel in 1979, General
McKenzie was commissioned into the Marine Corps and trained as an infantry officer.
He has commanded at the platoon, company, battalion, Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU),
and component levels. As a lieutenant colonel, he commanded First Battalion, Sixth
Marines. As the Commanding Officer of the 22d MEU (SOC), he led the MEU on combat
deployments to Afghanistan in 2004 and Iraq in 2005-06. In 2006-07 he served as the
Military Secretary to the 33rd and 34th Commandants of the Marine Corps.
Upon promotion to Brigadier General in July 2007, he served on the Joint Staff as
a Deputy Director of Operations within the National Military Command Center. In June
2008, he was selected by the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff to be the Director
of the Chairman's New Administration Transition Team (CNATT).
In this capacity, he coordinated the efforts of the Joint Staff and the combatant
commands in preparing for and executing a wartime transition of administrations.
In June 2009, he reported to the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in
Kabul, Afghanistan, to serve as the Deputy to the Deputy Chief of Staff (DCOS) for
Stability. Upon his return from Afghanistan, in July 2010, he was assigned as the
Director, Strategy, Plans, and Policy (J-5) for the U.S. Central Command. In August
2012, he reported to Headquarters Marine Corps to serve as the Marine Corps Representative
to the Quadrennial Defense Review. In June 2014, he was promoted to Lieutenant General
and assumed command of U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Central Command.
In October 2015, he was assigned to the Joint Staff to serve as the Director, J-5,
Strategic Plans and Policy, Joint Staff.
In July 2017, he was named the Director, Joint Staff. General McKenzie was promoted
to the grade of General and assumed command of U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) in March
2019. He relinquished command of CENTCOM and retired from the Marine Corps on 1 April
2022, completing over 42 years of service.
General McKenzie is an honors graduate of the Armor Officer Advanced Course, Marine
Corps Command and Staff College, and the School of Advanced Warfighting. He was selected
as a CMC Fellow in 1999 and served as a Senior Military Fellow within the Institute
for National Strategic Studies at the National Defense University. He has a master’s
degree in teaching with a concentration in history. He is currently the President
of the Board of Directors of the Institute of Applied Engineering at the University
of South Florida, a Distinguished Senior Fellow on National Security at the Middle
East Institute, a Member of the International Advisory Committee of the National Council
on U.S. Arab relations, and a Member of the National Security Advisory Council, U.S.
Global Leadership Coalition. General McKenzie is also a Board member of the Warrior
Legacy Ranch, a veterans health organization focused on preventing veteran suicide.
In March 2024, he was named the Hertog Distinguished Fellow for the Jewish Institute
for National Security of America (JINSA).
ABOUT DR. MOHSEN MILANI
Dr. Milani is the Executive Director of the Center for Strategic & Diplomatic Studies. He was a research fellow at Harvard, Oxford, and the Foscari University (Italy). He has been interviewed by over 150 national and international media outlets, reaching out to millions of people across the world. Since 2000, he has been invited to over 200 conferences in 27 countries.
PARKING
Parking for USF faculty and students is available in Lots 21 or 37. Public parking is available in Lot 6 with Daily Parking available via the parking pay station or by using the mobile parking app. For more information about parking options, please visit the Parking Services website.
USF Campus Map (PDF)
QUESTIONS ABOUT THE EVENT?
For reasonable accommodations or more information about the event, please contact
CAS RSVP.