Carter suffered a “sudden cardiac event” on Monday night in Boston…reports Asian Lite News
Former US Defence Secretary Ash Carter, who opened combat jobs to women and ended a ban on transgender people serving in the military, passed away at age 68.
Carter suffered a “sudden cardiac event” on Monday night in Boston, his family said in a statement, reported CNN.
He led the Defence Department from February 2015 to January 2017, being President Obama’s final defence secretary.
He is survived by his wife, Stephanie, and his children, Ava and Will.
While leading Pentagon, Carter oversaw the US efforts to combat the rise of ISIS in the Middle East, which included the deployment of US troops and the final years of US involvement in Afghanistan under Obama’s presidency.
Several efforts were made to expand the role of women in combat under his tenure. Also, it was under his tenure only when the ban on transgender people from serving openly was also lifted under his tenure.
Carter had not previously served in the military but mastered the nuts and bolts of the Defence Department, a skill set that helped him quietly shape notable change, particularly when it came to who was allowed to serve in uniform, the Washington Post reported.
Carter was a recipient of the Department of Defence Distinguished Service Medal, which is the highest award given to civilians from the department, on multiple occasions.
At the time of his death, he had been a professor at the Harvard Kennedy School as the Belfer professor of technology and global affairs, and director of the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, CNN said in its report.
India’s External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Tuesday expressed his condolences after the passing away of Carter calling his death as a ‘great loss’ to not only his country but also to his ‘many friends’ across the world.
“Deeply shocked to learn about the passing away of former US Defence Secretary Ash Carter. He was great to work with and a strong supporter of our defence relationship. He was also a global strategist who was always thought-provoking,” he tweeted.
“A great loss, not only to his country, but to his many friends across the world. My condolences to his family,” he said in a subsequent tweet. (ANI)
