James M. McGarrah

McGarrah attended Francis C. Hammond High School in Alexandria, Virginia, graduating in 1969.{{cite web|url=http://www.fchhsaa.com/n69.html|title=Hammond Class of '69|publisher=Francis C. Hammond High School Alumni Association|access-date=2011-10-08}}

McGarrah graduated from the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland with a Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering in 1973.{{cite web|url=http://www.security-innovation.org/bios/j-mcgarrah.htm|title=James M. McGarrah|publisher=Security Innovation Network|access-date=2011-10-05|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120425051002/http://www.security-innovation.org/bios/j-mcgarrah.htm|archive-date=2012-04-25}}{{cite web|url=http://www.navy.mil/navydata/bios/bio.asp?bioID=212|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120928194546/http://www.navy.mil/navydata/bios/bio.asp?bioID=212|url-status=dead|archive-date=September 28, 2012|title=Rear Admiral James M. McGarrah|publisher=United States Navy|date=2005-10-31|access-date=2011-10-06}} He also holds a Master of Arts in human resource management from Pepperdine University in 1978 and a Master of Science in mechanical engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology in 1979.{{cite news|url=http://www.gtri.gatech.edu/news/mcgarrah-named-director-information-technology-and|title=James McGarrah Named Director of GTRI's Information Technology and Telecommunications Laboratory|publisher=Georgia Tech Research Institute|access-date=2011-10-06}} While at Georgia Tech, he took a job as a graduate teaching assistant.

In 1973, McGarrah received his naval commission, and served in the United States Navy and the United States Navy Reserve for a total of 33 years. From 1973 to 1976, he served on the USS Belknap (CG-26) as Electronic Warfare Officer and Damage Control Assistant, and on the USS Hoist (ARS-40) after the Belknap{{'}}s collision with the John F. Kennedy in 1975.

In 2003, he was nominated for promotion from rear admiral (lower half) to rear admiral.{{cite news|url=http://www.defensedaily.com/articles/pm/2003/pm031703.htm|title=Personnel Moves — March 17, 2003|work=Defense Daily|date=2003-03-17|access-date=2011-10-08}}

On July 9, 2004, when McGarrah was a rear admiral, the Secretary of the Navy, Gordon R. England, appointed him the Director of the Office for the Administrative Review of the Detention of Enemy Combatants (OARDEC).{{cite web|first=Gordon R|last=England|authorlink=Gordon R. England|url=http://www.defenselink.mil/Transcripts/Transcript.aspx?TranscriptID=2777|title=Secretary of the Navy England Briefing on Combatant Status Review Tribunal|publisher=United States Department of Defense|date=2004-07-09|access-date=2011-10-08}}{{cite news|url=http://www.wsws.org/articles/2004/jul2004/guan-j16.shtml|title=Pentagon plans military tribunals for Guantánamo prisoners|publisher=World Socialist Web Site|first=John|last=Andrews|date=2004-07-16|access-date=2011-10-08}}

McGarrah testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee about the Combatant Status Review Tribunals (CSRT), held in the Guantanamo Bay detainment camps, in Cuba, from July 2004 to March 2005.{{cite web|first=James M|last=McGarrah|url=http://www.defenselink.mil/dodgc/olc/docs/test05-07-14McGarrah.pdf|title=Statement of Rear Admiral James M. McGarrah, Director of the Office of the Administrative Review of the Detention of Enemy Combatants (OARDEC), Before the Committee on the Judiciary, United States Senate, on detainees|date=2005-07-14|publisher=United States Department of Defense|access-date=2011-10-08}}{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2005/06/15/politics/15cnd-detain.html|title=Future of Guantánamo Camp Under Study, Attorney General Says|first=Brian|last=Knowlton|work=New York Times|date=2005-06-15|access-date=2011-10-08}}{{cite news|url=https://www.defense.gov/News/News-Stories/id/16402/ |title=DoD Details Detainee Efforts to Senate Panel |first=Jim |last=Garamone |work=American Forces Press Service |publisher=United States Department of Defense |date=2005-06-15 |access-date=2011-10-08 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120112191033/http://www.defense.gov/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=16402 |archive-date=2012-01-12 }} McGarrah testified that, to take into account the concerns of United States Supreme Court rulings the CSRT were modelled after Army Regulations 190-8 (Enemy Prisoners of War, Retained Personnel, Civilian Internees and Other Detainees), subchapter 1–6, Tribunals.

While he was in the military, he was awarded the Defense Distinguished Service Medal, the Legion of Merit, the Bronze Star Medal, two Meritorious Service Medals, three Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medals, and a Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal. Since September 2009, McGarrah has been the Georgia Chair of the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve.{{cite web|url=http://www.esgr.org/site/News/tabid/73/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/176/Default.aspx|title=New ESGR State and U.S. Territory Chairs Appointed|publisher=Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve|date=2009-09-18|access-date=2011-10-08}}

McGarrah spent 24 years working for the telecommunications industry, primarily for Southern Bell, BellSouth and Cingular Wireless.

McGarrah came to the Georgia Tech Research Institute in November 2008, taking the position of director of the Information Technology and Telecommunications Laboratory (ITTL).{{cite news|url=http://www.ajc.com/business/content/printedition/2009/01/18/newsmakers0118.html|title=Newsmakers|work=Atlanta Journal-Constitution|date=2009-10-18|access-date=2011-10-08}} He was instrumental in the split of that lab into the GTRI Information and Communications Laboratory and the GTRI Cyber Technology and Information Security Laboratory.{{cite web|url=http://www.gtri.gatech.edu/news/two-gtri-labs-change-names|title=Two GTRI Labs to Change Names|publisher=Georgia Tech Research Institute|access-date=2011-10-08}}

As of May 1, 2013, McGarrah will be GTRI's Chief of Staff, an ambassador / spokesperson role.

{{reflist}}

{{wikisource|Testimony of Rear Admiral James M. McGarrah Director of Administrative Review of the Detention of Enemy Combatants Department of the navy, June 15, 2005|Administrative Review of the Detention of Enemy Combatants, June 15, 2005}}

{{wikisource|Statement of Rear Admiral James M. McGarrah, Director of the Office of the Administrative Review of the Detention of Enemy Combatants (OARDEC), Before the Committee on the Judiciary, United States Senate, on detainees, July 14, 2005|Administrative Review of the Detention of Enemy Combatants, July 14, 2005}}

• [http://www.linkedin.com/pub/jim-mcgarrah/12/977/17b James M. McGarrah] at LinkedIn

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Category:1951 births

Category:Living people

Category:Georgia Tech Research Institute people

Category:United States Naval Academy alumni

Category:Georgia Tech alumni

Category:Pepperdine University alumni

Category:United States Navy admirals

Category:United States Navy personnel of the Iraq War

Category:Recipients of the Legion of Merit

Category:Recipients of the Defense Distinguished Service Medal

Category:United States Navy reservists