Retired General Barry McCaffrey, the current administration’s outgoing director of the White House Office of National Drug Control, arrived on post Monday to begin the transition to his new position as West Point’s Olin Distinguished Professor of National Security Studies.

McCaffrey, who taught Social Sciences here from 1972 to 1975 and was also the Social Sciences Department Executive Officer, is a great addition to the academy, said Col. Russ Howard, West Point’s Social Sciences Department head.

"We get a lot of bang for our buck with General McCaffrey," Howard said. "He is topical. The most decorated and youngest four-star general in recent history and he exemplifies Duty, Honor, Country.

"Once you are a member of the Social Sciences Department you are always a member," Howard said.

McCaffrey served as Commander-in-Chief of the U.S. Armed Forces Southern Command from 1994 to 1996, coordinating all national security issues in Latin American.

During the Gulf War he commanded the 24th Infantry Division (Mechanized), which he led on a 200-kilometer "left hook" attack into Iraq and the Euphrates River Valley.

McCaffrey said he was honored to be asked to take the Olin professorship.

"It is an unusual opportunity for me to be able to use the Gulf War as a teaching tool to examine and better understand the actors and the process which brings U.S. Army soldiers into operational environments," the 57-year-old said. "I expect to learn a lot, too."

McCaffrey explained that his class would address national security issues.

"I am going to organize a class that essentially focuses on the national security process which fortunately I have been able to take part in from platoon leader up to ... a cabinet level position," he said.

Along with his teaching duties McCaffrey has also volunteered to help out with other activities on post, both within Social Sciences and in other departments and centers.

"I’ve asked to be active in both leadership development and as part of various Distinguished Lecture Series’ for Social Sciences and the History Department," he said.

The West Point Class of 1964 graduate said he is working on two or more books and being at the academy will help him re-capture the spirit of academics. And he’s also looking forward to working with the cadets.

"Cadets have a Stanford, Princeton level of talent in terms of academic qualifications, physical ability and leadership ability," McCaffrey explained.

"The mission of the U.S. Army, which the cadets will soon join, has changed dramatically," McCaffrey said. "It is a more difficult world out there for them to see and to understand and operate effectively. We are fortunate that we have an educational and leadership developmental process here of the level of sophistication that I find."