Presumptive Democratic U.S. presidential nominee Hillary Clinton's campaign is vetting retired Navy Admiral James Stavridis as a potential vice presidential running mate, a source with knowledge of the process confirmed to Reuters on Tuesday.

Stavridis is dean of the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University near Boston and a former supreme allied commander of NATO.

Republican Donald Trump could also pick a decorated veteran as his No. 2. Retired Lieutenant General Michael Flynn is said to be in the GOP's mix.

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Presumptive Democratic U.S. presidential nominee Hillary Clinton's campaign is vetting retired Navy Admiral James Stavridis as a potential vice presidential running mate. Stavridis is seen here testifying before a Senate committee in 2015

Stavridis is dean of the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University near Boston and a former supreme allied commander of NATO. He's seen here during his time as U.S. commander in Europe, in Poland, in 2012

Both candidates are expected to announced their running mates at their political parties' respective conventions in Cleveland next week - Republicans - and Philadelphia the week after - Democrats.

Also said to be on Clinton's short list is Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine. She's campaigning with the longtime ally on Thursday in his home state

Kaine is attractive to Clinton for the same reasons as someone like Stavridis. A member of the Senate's Foreign Relations and Armed Services Committees, he has the credibility on foreign policy issues candidates typically look for in a second-in-command.

Clinton is vetting retired Navy Admiral James Stavridis as a potential vice presidential running mate. Clinton is pictured above speaking today as Senator Bernie Sanders looks on after he endorsed her during a campaign rally in Portsmouth, New Hampshire

He's a lawyer by trade and a former governor of Virginia with no military experience, however. Stavridis is a 4-star retired Navy admiral.

'Admiral Stavridis is one of the finest military officers of his generation,' Michele Flournoy, a former under secretary at the U.S. Department of Defense, told Reuters in a statement.

She said, 'He is a person of great ability and integrity, and an exceptional leader. He has the talents, experience, judgment and temperament to serve the American people at the highest levels of our government.'

Republican Donald Trump could also pick a decorated veteran as his No. 2. Retired Lieutenant General Michael Flynn, seen above, is said to be in the GOP's mix

Flournoy, who formed a think tank after leaving the Defense Department and is advising the Clinton campaign on foreign policy, did not comment on the vetting process.

The former DOD official is thought to be a probable Clinton pick for defense secretary if the candidate wins the White House on Nov. 8.

Clinton's campaign declined to comment on the vetting of Stavridis, as well, in response to an inquiry from Reuters.

Stavridis and Clinton worked closely together when he was at NATO and she led the U.S. Department of State during Democratic President Barack Obama's first term.

Trump could also pick a decorated veteran as his No. 2. He is pictured above speaking during a campaign event on veterans reform in Virginia Beach, Virginia, on Monday

Introducing Clinton at a 2013 awards dinner, Stavridis said, 'She does the work of two, of 20, of 200 with her energy, with her enthusiasm and with her boundless determination to improve our world.' He praised her use of 'smart power.'

In a 2012 TED talk on global security, Stavridis began by saying: 'My thesis for us today is, instead of building walls to create security, we need to build bridges.'