USAA announced on 3 September 2026 the appointment of Vice Admiral Craig Clapperton, United States Navy retired, to its board of directors, effective 1 September 2026. USAA is headquartered in San Antonio, Texas, and serves members of the United States military, veterans and their families through insurance, banking and retirement products.
The USAA announcement said Clapperton brings 36 years of military leadership and extensive experience across national security and technology. His career spanned major shifts in modern warfare, from traditional sea and air power to the emergence of cyber, space and artificial intelligence.
Military career
Clapperton commanded at sea, including command of the USS Theodore Roosevelt and the Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group. He later held senior leadership roles across United States Cyber Command and United States Navy Space Command, leading large, global organisations at the intersection of military operations, national security and rapidly evolving technology, according to USAA.
He received the Vice Admiral James Bond Stockdale Award for Inspirational Leadership, one of the Navy leadership honours, USAA said. Since retiring from military service, he has remained engaged in national security, technology and leadership work as an advisor and educator.
Company statement
Lieutenant General David F. Melcher, United States Army retired and chairman of the USAA board of directors, said Clapperton brings a rare combination of military leadership, operational experience and deep technology expertise. Melcher added that throughout his career Clapperton led people and organisations through extraordinary complexity and change while remaining focused on the mission, and that his experience will be invaluable to the board as it continues strengthening USAA.
Clapperton said that after 36 years serving alongside sailors and military families, joining the USAA board gives him an opportunity to continue serving this community in a different way.
Education
Clapperton earned a bachelor degree in aerospace engineering from The Pennsylvania State University and a master degree in national security studies from the United States Naval War College, where he was a member of the Stockdale Group. He is also a distinguished graduate of the Navy Nuclear Power School.
About USAA
Founded in 1922 by 25 soldiers, USAA is among the leading providers of insurance, banking and retirement solutions and serves more than 14.5 million members of the United States military, veterans who have honourably served, and their families. The company is headquartered in San Antonio, with offices in seven United States cities and four overseas locations, and employs more than 36,000 people worldwide.
The Clapperton appointment follows the USAA announcement in August 2026 that Lieutenant General Melcher would become chairman of the board, succeeding Vice Admiral retired James M. Zortman.
