Amos joins board of directors for defense contractor

By

Hope Hodge Seck

U.S. Marine Corps Gen. James F. Amos, commandant of the Marine Corps, speaks with U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. William Gelroth, a radio repair technician assigned to Intermediate Maintenance Activity (IMA) Platoon, Combat Logistics Battalion 1 (CLB-1), following Gelroth’s meritorious promotion during a visit to forward deployed forces aboard Camp Leatherneck, Helmand province, Afghanistan, Sept 6, 2014. The visit marks the final time Amos and Sgt. Maj. Micheal P. Barrett, sergeant major of the Marine Corps, will meet with Marines and sailors deployed to Helmand in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. (Official U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Darien J. Bjorndal, Marine Expeditionary Brigade Afghanistan/ Released)

Recently retired Gen. Jim Amos, former commandant of the Marine Corps, has joined the board of directors at LORD Corporation, a manufacturing company with defense and aerospace customers.

The news was announced today in a release published by the Cary, North Carolina-based company.

Amos retired Dec. 1 after a 42-year career in the Marine Corps and Navy. The first Marine aviator to serve as commandant, he oversaw the release creation of the Expeditionary Force-21 strategy, and the plus-up of 1,000 additional Marine security guards at U.S. embassies in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2012, attacks in LibyaBenghazi, and the creation of new land-based crisis response units.

The news release from LORD also highlights Amos’ work to award the Congressional Gold Medal to the Montford Point Marines who trailblazed racial integration during World War II, and his efforts to guide the Marine Corps through fiscal austerity while maintaining readiness.

“General Amos was selected because of his extraordinary leadership and understanding of the strategic factors shaping the environment in which we operate,” said Rick McNeel, chairman of the LORD Corporation Board of Directors in a statement. “We are honored to have General Amos join our board.”

Prior to his retirement, Amos had revealed plans to return to North Carolina, where he served at Camp Lejeune as the commander of II Marine Expeditionary Force from 2004-2008. This announcement offers a first look at how he may be spending his time in retirement.