Major James “Clay” Garner is a Special Forces Company Commander with 1st Special Forces Group (1st SFG) at Fort Lewis, Washington.
Most recently, Clay was selected for the General Wayne A. Downing Scholarship and studied at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government. He earned a Master in Public Policy degree with a concentration in International and Global Affairs. While there, his studies focused on the intersection of national security, technology, and business economics.
Clay’s career has focused on national security in the Indo-Pacific region. Previously, Clay served as a Detachment Commander and Battalion Support Company Commander in 1st SFG. He led these teams through two operational deployments in the Philippines. While there, he worked with the U.S. Embassy to execute foreign policy by coordinating national security operations, activities, and investments. Prior to joining the Special Forces, Clay served as an Infantry Platoon Leader and Company Executive Officer with the 25thInfantry Division at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii. In these roles, he managed tactical unit training for jungle operations across the Pacific.
Clay graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 2014, earning a Bachelor of Science with Honors in Systems Engineering. Clay is a native of Austin, TX. He and his wife, Olivia, have three children.
