Syria is ‘most chaotic and complex’ conflict in our lifetime: Van Hipp
American Defense International chairman and former Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army Van Hipp shares his insight on Secretary Mark Esper’s comments and leaving U.S. troops in Syria.
About Van Hipp:Van Hipp is Chairman of American Defense International, Inc. He’s a former Chairman of the South Carolina Republican Party, as well as a former member of the Presidential Electoral College. In 1990, he was sworn in as Deputy Assistant Secretary of the U.S. Army (Reserve Forces and Mobilization). In this capacity, he served as the Army Secretariat’s “point man” for the successful mobilization, and then demobilization, of the Army’s reserve forces for Operation Desert Shield/Storm.
Following the “Tailhook Scandal,” Hipp was named by Secretary of Defense Dick Cheney to be the Principal Deputy General Counsel of the U.S. Navy. Hipp served in this capacity until January 1993.
Hipp is a veteran of the U.S. Army and served on active duty in both Operation Desert Storm and Operation Restore Democracy. He is a recipient of the Bronze Star Medal. He continues to speak on defense issues at public forums across the country and writes a regular column for Newsmax on International Policy. His book, “The New Terrorism: How to Fight It and Defeat It,” was published in February 2015. One hundred percent of all proceeds go to scholarships for the children of fallen Guardsmen and Guardsmen wounded in action in the War on Terror. All scholarships are being administered by the National Guard Educational Foundation (NGEF).
Since the September 11th attacks, Hipp has appeared on the Fox News Channel and Fox Business Channel well over 600 times as an expert commentator on the War on Terror and has been a guest on most of the network’s major news programming. In addition, he has appeared on MSNBC, CNN, the London-based Sky News Channel, Newsmax TV, and the CBS Evening News.
He currently serves as a member of the Board of Visitors of Charleston Southern University, as a member of the National Capital Salvation Army Advisory Board, and as a member of the Board of Directors of the Palmetto Promise Institute. In addition, Van Hipp was the recipient of the Salvation Army National Capital Area Command’s 2015 “Compassionate Citizen Award.”
On November 3rd, of 2016 he presented a lecture entitled “The Greatest Challenge Of Our Next President: Keeping America Safe During These Times” at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum in Grand Rapids, MI. He also served as moderator for two Presidential National Security Town Halls with President Donald J. Trump during the 2016 presidential election cycle.
Hipp received his bachelor’s degree in Economics from Wofford College and earned his Juris Doctor from the University of South Carolina School of Law. In 2014, Hipp was the recipient of Wofford College’s Distinguished Service Award.
Van Hipp is married to the former Jane Grote of Nashville, Tennessee, and they have three children: Trey, Sarah Camille, and Jackson. Van and his family split their time between Alexandria, VA and Georgetown, SC.