Gordon R. Sullivan

Gordon Russell Sullivan (25 September 1937 – 2 January 2024) was a United States Army general, who served as the 32nd Chief of Staff of the Army and as a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Sullivan also served as acting Secretary of the Army.

After retiring from the Army, Sullivan served as the president and chief executive of the Association of the United States Army for 18 years, from 1998 through 30 June 2016. He also served as the chairman of the board of trustees of Norwich University until 2016. He served as chairman of the boards of The Army Historical Foundation and the Marshall Legacy Institute.

Early life and education Sullivan was born in Boston, Massachusetts on 25 September 1937, the son of Russell E. Sullivan and Penuel E. (Gordon) Sullivan. He was raised in nearby Quincy, and he graduated from Braintree's Thayer Academy in 1955. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree in history from Norwich University in 1959. Sullivan took part in the Army Reserve Officers' Training Corps while at Norwich and at graduation he received his commission as a second lieutenant of Armor.

Sullivan held a Master of Arts degree in political science from the University of New Hampshire. His overseas assignments included four tours in Europe, two in Vietnam and one in Korea.

Sullivan retired from the United States Army on 31 July 1995, after more than 36 years of active service.

Sullivan served as the chairman of the board of trustees of Norwich University, the Army Historical Foundation, and the Marshall Legacy Institute, as well as a member of the MITRE Army Advisory Board, the MIT Lincoln Laboratory Advisory Board, and a Life Trustee of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute. He was also the President and chief executive officer of the Association of the United States Army, headquartered in Arlington, Virginia from February 1998 through June 2016. Sullivan was an Advisory Board Member of Spirit of America, a 501(c)(3) organization that supports the safety and success of Americans serving abroad and the local people and partners they seek to help.

In recognition of his military career and his work with AUSA, Sullivan was awarded the prestigious Sylvanus Thayer Award by the United States Military Academy in 2003, and the AUSA General George Catlett Marshall Medal, the Association's highest honor, in October 2016.

CNA Military Advisory Board Gen. Sullivan served as the first Chairman of the CNA Military Advisory Board, the first group of retired generals and admirals to examine the national security implications of climate change. Founded in 2006 by Sherri Goodman, the CNA Military Advisory board brought together military leaders from the United States Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps. The landmark report of the CNA Military Advisory Board, National Security and the Threat of Climate Change, established the concept of climate change as a “threat multiplier.” General Sullivan compared the climate and nuclear threats, stating, “Climate change is exactly the opposite. We have a catastrophic event that appears to be inevitable. And the challenge is to stabilize things—to stabilize carbon in the atmosphere. Back then, the challenge was to stop a particular action. Now, the challenge is to inspire a particular action. We have to act if we’re to avoid the worst effects.” He subsequently married Lori Boyle and lived in Falmouth, Massachusetts. Sullivan had three children and three grandchildren. He was an avid reader, historian, sport fisherman, and sailor. He was buried at Arlington National Cemetery with military funeral honors on 10 May 2024.

Awards and decorations Sullivan's awards and decorations included:

Medals and ribbons