Former Defense Secretary Ashton Carter dies unexpectedly at 68 - ABC News

Former Defense Secretary Ashton Carter has died unexpectedly astatine the property of 68, according to family.

Carter died of a "sudden cardiac event" connected Monday nighttime successful Boston.

He served arsenic caput of defence nether erstwhile President Barack Obama from February 2015 to January 2017.

President Barack Obama listens arsenic Secretary of Defense Ash Carter delivers remarks astatine the Pentagon Memorial connected Sept. 11, 2016, successful Arlington, Va.

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Carter, who went to Yale University and was a Rhodes scholar, joined the Department of Defense nether erstwhile President Bill Clinton. He aboriginal served arsenic nether caput of Defense for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics from 2009 to 2011 and lawman caput of defence from 2011 to 2013.

He was nominated to regenerate Chuck Hagel arsenic caput of defence successful December 2014. He was confirmed, 93-5, by the Senate successful February 2015.

"As Secretary, helium launched the palmy run to decision ISIS successful Iraq and Syria, opened each combat positions to women, and forged caller connections betwixt the Department of Defense and the nation’s exertion community," his household said successful a statement. "While helium was known for his keen knowing of subject technology, atomic weapons, and planetary affairs, Secretary Carter loved thing much than spending clip with the troops, making predominant trips to Iraq and Afghanistan to sojourn U.S forces [with his woman Stephanie]."

He was survived by his woman and 2 children, Ava and Will.

Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter answers questions during a property briefing astatine the Pentagon, July 25, 2016.

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In summation to starring the U.S.'s violative against ISIS, Carter besides oversaw a clip play astatine the Department of Defense erstwhile each restrictions connected women serving successful combat were lifted and lifted a ban connected transgender members of the military, a regularisation aboriginal overturned by then-President Donald Trump.

Carter joined the Belfer Center astatine Harvard University's Kennedy School aft leaving the government, serving arsenic its manager the past 5 years. He had taught astatine the Kennedy School successful the 1980s, anterior to joining the U.S. government.

Douglas Elmendorf, dean astatine the Harvard Kennedy School, wrote of his friend: "I privation to connection my gratitude for his penetration and wisdom, his unwavering committedness to trying to marque the satellite better, his assurance that the Kennedy School tin marque an important quality successful the world, his generous tone toward his students and colleagues, and his lukewarm and gracious relationship with me. I volition miss him truthful much."

ABC News' Mark Osborne contributed to this report.