Admiral William H. McRaven is a retired U.S. Navy Four-Star admiral and the former chancellor of the University of Texas System. During his time in the military, he commanded special operations forces at every level, eventually taking charge of the U.S. Special Operations Command.

His career included combat during Desert Storm and both the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. He commanded the troops that captured Saddam Hussein and rescued Captain Phillips. Admiral McRaven is also credited with developing the plan and leading the Osama bin Laden mission in 2011. Admiral McRaven is a recognized national authority on U.S. foreign policy and has advised Presidents George W. Bush, Barack Obama, and other U.S. leaders on defense issues.