lowering the backlog of pending veterans' claims; achievement and maintenance of a clean audit; the National Shrine Commitment, an effort to raise, and make standard, the condition of the national cemeteries; and VetFran, a program for transitioning veterans to aid them in starting franchise businesses. He was also, with David Chu, a founding co-chair of the VA-DoD Joint Executive Council to increase interdepartmental collaboration and sharing. Upon his departure, then-Secretary Anthony Principi stated, "Dr. Mackay brought to VA the discipline of the business world and the compassion of a man who cares deeply for America's veterans. His legacy is a more-focused VA better able to meet the needs of veterans." From 1993 to 1995, Mackay served as military assistant to then-Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Policy, Ashton Carter. During this time, the office was re-organized to focus on cooperative de-nuclearization, execution of the Nunn-Lugar threat reduction program, nuclear weapons policy, and counter-proliferation. The office also was the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) lead for the Nuclear Posture Review of 1994-95. 2016 Presidential Transition On January 3, 2017, Mackay met with president-elect Donald Trump at Trump Tower in New York City to discuss the cabinet post of Secretary of Veterans Affairs. Though Mackay described their meeting as a "good discussion" he was not selected for the post. Other reporting, citing sources internal to the campaign, said he had refused the post as he was "reluctant to leave the private sector." Personal history Mackay resides in Northern Virginia. He was born into a military family in San Antonio, Texas, and grew up on, and around, military installations. He lived in Japan as a child and spent two years of high school in Tehran, Iran. His family was evacuated in December 1978 as the Shah's government disintegrated. He served in the Navy as a naval aviator. He completed pilot training in 1985, graduating at the top of his class. He spent three years in Fighter Squadron Eleven flying the F-14, attended Fighter Weapons School (Topgun), and compiled 235 carrier landings and 1,000 hours in the F-14. He is a veteran of Operation Earnest Will earning the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal. He taught western civilization and modern military history during his service as an instructor at the Naval Academy. Affiliations Mackay is a former member of the Aspen Strategy Group, and the Council on Foreign Relations, and a life member