Carrie F. Ricci
Carrie F. Ricci
Carrie F. Ricci was confirmed by the United States Senate on December 14, 2021 and was sworn in as the 23rd General Counsel of the United States Army on January 3, 2022. As General Counsel, she is the chief lawyer of the Army ultimately responsible for determining the Army’s position on any legal question. She serves as legal counsel to the Secretary of the Army, Under Secretary, the five Assistant Secretaries, and members of the Army Secretariat.
For nine years prior to her appointment, Ms. Ricci served as a Senior Executive with the United States Department of Agriculture, first as an Assistant General Counsel, then as the Associate General Counsel, Marketing, Regulatory, and Food Safety Programs, where she led a team that provided legal services to two Under Secretaries and three agencies. Her preceding assignment was as Assistant General Counsel, Office of General Counsel, Department of Defense Education Activity.
In 2010, Ms. Ricci retired from the U.S. Army after 20 years of active military service. At the time of her retirement, Ms. Ricci served as Assistant General Counsel, Office of the General Counsel, U.S. Army, where she advised the Secretary of the Army and other senior Army leaders on legal and policy issues concerning all areas of military personnel management. Other key military assignments include: Deputy Staff Judge Advocate, U.S. Army Intelligence and Security Command; Chief, International Law, U.S. Central Command (USCENTCOM); Administrative Law Attorney, Office of the Judge Advocate General; Trial Counsel and Operational Law Attorney, 4th Infantry Division; and Platoon Leader in Operations DESERT SHIELD and DESERT STORM.
In 2020, Ms. Ricci served on the Fort Hood Independent Review Committee, a five member panel of Highly Qualified Experts appointed by the Secretary of the Army to conduct a review of the Fort Hood command climate and assess its impact on its soldiers and units, particularly as it related to preventing sexual assault and sexual harassment.
Ms. Ricci is a 1988 ROTC graduate of Georgetown University and entered active duty as an Adjutant General Corps officer (human resources) and later attended law school through the Army’s Funded Legal Education Program, graduating from the University of Maryland School of Law. She earned a Master of Laws degree (LL.M.) from The Judge Advocate General’s Legal Center and School, and a second LL.M from George Washington University School of Law. She is a graduate of the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College and holds a certificate in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the Workplace from the University of South Florida.
Ms. Ricci is a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation and is a recipient of the Lifetime Achievement award from the Hispanic National Bar Association.
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