Retired General Paul M. Nakasone is a retired four-star general in the United States Army who served as the commander of United States Cyber Command and concurrently as the director of the National Security Agency and as chief of the Central Security Service from May 2018 until February 2024. He was the longest-serving leader of USCYBERCOM and the NSA/Central Security Service, and is recognized as one of the “nation’s founding cyberwarriors.”

In May 2024, Nakasone was named Founding Director of Vanderbilt University’s new Institute for National Defense and Global Security. He also holds a Research Professorship within Vanderbilt’s School of Engineering and serves as special advisor to the chancellor. He currently serves on the board of directors of WitnessAI and OpenAI, joining OpenAI’s Safety and Security Committee.

Born in White Bear Lake, Minnesota, Nakasone is the son of Edwin M. Nakasone, a second-generation Japanese American and retired U.S. Army colonel who served in the Military Intelligence Service during World War II. He graduated from Saint John’s University, where he received a commission as military intelligence officer in 1986 through the Army Reserve Officers’ Training Corps program. Nakasone also earned an M.S. in Systems Management from the University of Southern California and Master’s degrees from the National Defense Intelligence College and the United States Army War College.

Prior to his roles at NSA and Cyber Command, Nakasone commanded the United States Second Army and United States Army Cyber Command from October 2016. He has commanded at the company, battalion, and brigade levels and served in foreign assignments in Iraq, Afghanistan and Korea.

Nakasone’s awards and decorations include the Distinguished Service Medal (with oak leaf cluster), the Defense Superior Service Medal (with three oak leaf clusters), Legion of Merit, Bronze Star, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, and Combat Action Badge, among others.