On this week’s episode of Next Steps Forward, Dr. Chris Meek welcomes retired U.S. Marine Corps Major General James Lukeman, the current CEO of the Marine Corps Heritage Foundation. With a distinguished 40-year military career that included deployments to the Persian Gulf, Germany, and Okinawa, as well as leadership roles ranging from Commanding General of the Second Marine Division to Deputy Director for Strategy and Plans at U.S. Africa Command, General Lukeman brings unparalleled insight into service, leadership, and resilience.

In their conversation, General Lukeman reflects on what inspired him to join the Marines, the challenges and triumphs of his decades in uniform, and the lessons in resilience and leadership that remain at the heart of Marine Corps culture. He also shares his candid perspective on the ups and downs of military life, including how early setbacks shaped him into a stronger leader.

As CEO of the Marine Corps Heritage Foundation, General Lukeman discusses the mission of preserving and promoting the history, traditions, and values of the Corps through the National Museum of the Marine Corps and beyond. From the upcoming 250th anniversary of the Marine Corps to the Foundation’s education and outreach initiatives, he offers a powerful vision of how the legacy of the Marines continues to inspire unity, service, and hope for the future.

About Gen. Jim Lukeman: As the current CEO of the Marine Corps Heritage Foundation, retired U.S. Marines Corps Major General James Lukeman’s mission is to preserve and promulgate the history, traditions, and culture of the Marine Corps, and educate all Americans about its virtue. Jim Lukeman attended the University of Notre Dame on a Marine Corps ROTC scholarship, was commissioned as a second lieutenant upon graduation, and spent 40 years of his life on active military duty. Among his many assignments over the years, General Lukeman was deployed to the Persian Gulf, Germany, and Okinawa. He was detailed to the Office of the Secretary of Defense, served as the Chief of Staff for Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia, served as the Deputy Director for Strategy and Plans for the U-S Africa Command, was the Commanding General of the Second Marine Division, and served as the Commanding General of the Training and Education Command.