Colonel Glenn McCartan

Defense Engagement Liaison to U.S. European Command Defense Innovation Unit

Colonel Glenn McCartan is currently the Defense Innovation Unit’s (DIU) embed to the U.S. European Command in Stuttgart, Germany. He assumed his role in September 2023.

From 2021-2023, he served as DIU’s primary engagement lead to the U.S. Marine Corps in the Washington DC National Capitol Region (NCR). In this position, he cultivated over $100M in prototypes for the Marine Corps innovation and acquisition communities, coordinating support across the Joint community and the broader Department of Defense innovation community (e.g., DARPA, etc.).

A combat engineer officer by training, he has held leadership positions in both the Active and Reserve Components. On active duty from 2000-2009, he held command and staff positions with the III Marine Expeditionary Force (MEF) in Okinawa, Japan, and deployed twice in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom with I MEF out of Camp Pendleton, CA. Before leaving active service, he served on recruiting duty in New York City.

A reservist since 2009, he has held command and staff positions in the 4th Marine Division and deployed as staff with the Marine Forces Central Command (Forward) to Manama, Bahrain. Prior to joining DIU, he was a staff officer on the Joint Chiefs of Staff/J5, Strategy, Plans & Policy

As a civilian, Mr. McCartan held numerous leadership and staff positions within the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) and the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA). He has extensive international experience, particularly in Security Cooperation and Foreign Military Sales, supporting policy initiatives and programs in every Geographic Combatant Command. He has led delegations at the Policy and Joint Staff-levels, to include briefing multiple Congressional defense and appropriations committees. His civilian worldwide operational assignments have taken him from Eastern Europe to Western Africa.

His military education includes the USMC Amphibious Warfare School (DEP), USMC Command & Staff College (resident), and the USAF Air War College (DEP). He holds a master’s degree in international economic policy from Columbia University and an undergraduate degree in government from St. John’s University.