Washington D.C.- Robert S. Harward, a retired US Navy Vice Admiral and former Navy SEAL, has been identified as the front-runner to replace Michael Flynn as President Trump's national security adviser. Flynn resigned the post on Monday.
Harward has a distinguished, nearly forty year career in the Navy, where he held multiple Special Operations commands. These included SEAL Team 3, Naval Special Warfare Group 1, and the highly lauded Task Force K-Bar, a Combined Joint Special Operations TF, where he commanded the first major ground operations in Afghanistan. Harward has worked closely with SECDEF James Mattis, serving as Deputy Commander, USCENTCOM when Secretary Mattis was the Commander, and previously, during the early stages of Operation Enduring Freedom. He has been described as one of the SECDEF's protégées.
Currently, Harward holds a senior executive position for the aeronautics industry-leading Lockheed Martin, supervising trade conducted with United Arab Emirates. Having grown up in pre-revolution Iran, he is uniquely familiar with the Middle-East, even speaking fluent Farsi.
Also being considered for the position are LTG (ret.) Keith Kellogg, who President Trump appointed as the interim national security adviser, and GEN (ret.) David Petraeus.
Kellogg served in the 101st Airborne Division during the Vietnam War, was a Special Forces officer advising the Cambodian Army, and commanded the 82nd Airborne Division from 1996-98. He was the chief operations officer for the Coalition Provisional Authority after the successful overthrow of Saddam Hussein in 2003. During President Trump's campaign, Kellogg served as the candidate's foreign policy adviser.
Petraeus, considered a long-shot for the appointment because he is on federal probation until April stemming from 
mishandling classified information while Director of the CIA, had met with President Trump multiple times both during the campaign and after the election. He is the chief author of US counter insurgency doctrine and commanded Multi-National Force-Iraq, using his knowledge to architect the Baghdad Surge during 2007. Petraeus later rose to command US Central Command, and during his tenure, in an unprecedented move by President Obama because of Petraeus' expertise in combating an insurgency, was tasked to command US Forces-Afghanistan, his own subordinate command position.
After Flynn's resignation, questions arose about a leak in the US intelligence community. Intelligence personnel allegedly made various media outlets aware that Flynn's conversations with the Russian Ambassador to the US contained information that was not disclosed to Vice-President Pence. While the breach of diplomatic relations policy and the omission of facts by Flynn needed to be reported, the fact that appropriate channels were bypassed is concerning. The incoming national security adviser will have to reemphasize proper handling of sensitive information.
Kellogg is a Republican, Petraeus is non-partisan, and Harward's political affiliation is unclear.
Sean “Doc” Murphy retired from the US Army as a SFC after 15 years of service. As a medic, Doc held every enlisted position in an Infantry Medical Platoon. He served three years with the Iron Rakkasans (3-187th Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division), and 8 years with the Red Devils (1-504th PIR, 82nd Airborne Division). Doc deployed as a Rakkasan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, and three times to Operation Iraqi Freedom as a Devil In Baggy Pants.
Originally from Detroit, Sean resides in Tennessee and divides his time between writing copy and volunteering for various Veteran's Charities.