Carleton R. Cramer joined the Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies in August 2004.  In October 2007, Mr. Cramer retired from the Judge Advocate General’s Corps, United States Navy.  During 2009-2011, he served as the APCSS, College of Security Studies, Academic Chief of Staff.  Currently, he serves as a senior faculty member focusing on terrorism, law of the sea and international law.

Mr. Cramer grew up on Kwajalein Atoll, Republic of the Marshall Islands.  He completed his Bachelor of Arts degree in 1979 at the University of California, Santa Barbara, with majors in history and political science and a minor in economics (cum laude).  In 1982, he earned his Juris Doctor at the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law (honor graduate), during which period he served as a writer and managing editor for the Pacific Law Journal.  Upon completion of law school, he commenced a one-year judicial clerkship for Associate Justice Edward Nakamura, Supreme Court of Hawaii.  In 1983, he graduated from the Naval Justice School (honor graduate) and in 1993, he earned his Master of Law from The Judge Advocate General’s School.

During his 27-year Naval career, Mr. Cramer served primarily as an operational lawyer. His duty assignments included:  defense counsel; trial counsel; Staff Judge Advocate (SJA) Naval Air Station Barbers Point; Officer In Charge, Naval Legal Service Office Detachment Cecil Field; SJA USS Saratoga (CV 60); SJA, Naval Special Warfare Development Group; SJA Commander Patrol Wings, U.S. Pacific Fleet; Executive Officer, Naval Legal Service Office Mid-Pacific; Division Director, Office of the Judge Advocate General; Force/Fleet Judge Advocate, Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Central Command and Commander FIFTH Fleet; and Commanding Officer, Trial Service Office Pacific.  During 2004, Mr. Cramer deployed to Southwest Asia as part of a Secretary of Defense team reviewing detainee policy and operations during Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom.  Additionally, during 2004, he deployed to Iraq to train members of the Government Commission on Public Integrity.

Mr. Cramer is a member of both the California and Hawaii State Bars.  He is admitted to practice before the U.S. Supreme Court, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces, U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit and the U.S. District Court, District of Hawaii.  Additionally, he has served as a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney.