Retired Marine Corps Gen. James Jones, a leading contender to become President-elect Barack Obama’s national security adviser, serves on the boards of directors of Boeing and Chevron and advises a number of other businesses that work closely with the military and intelligence community.

Jones, a former head of NATO and U.S. forces in Europe, retired in early 2007 after 40 years of military service. Since then, Jones has joined the boards of directors of Boeing and Chevron, as well as Invacare Corp., which produces medical equipment. He also serves as a consultant toCross Match Technologies, a biometrics company that works with the Pentagon and FBI, and serves on the board of advisers to MIC Industries, which developed the Ultimate Building Machine.

While Jones’s association with companies specializing in weapons systems, biometrics, energy and healthcare does not disqualify him from becoming the president’s national security adviser, watchdog groups are urging that Jones and other candidates for top national security positions be carefully scrutinized.

Obama’s transition office declined to comment on any issues relating to the possible selection of Jones as a security adviser.

A Chamber spokesman also said that the organization cannot comment on “speculation from the media.”

“Gen. Jones is taking a very active role in shaping the Chamber’s energy policy,” said spokesman J.P. Fielder.

Jones has been criticized by several environmental groups for his ties to oil giant Chevron at a time when the U.S. is trying to wean itself from dependency on foreign oil.

“These are things that the Obama administration is going to have to vet very carefully,” said Melanie Sloan, the executive director of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW). “He [Jones] is clearly going to have to drop off all those boards. He seems very qualified, [but] the fact that someone has an appearance issue, you have to be more careful at how you handle that person once they have the job.”

Vice President Dick Cheney has been criticized during his tenure for his work at Halliburton, of which he was chief executive officer. As a board member, Jones would not have been as involved in the companies.

At Boeing, Jones serves on the board’s audit committee, which primarily assists in oversight of the company’s financial statements. Jones in 2007 earned $108,116 from his Boeing board position, according to filings to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Defense companies attract many retired generals to their boards, particularly for their previous government service and the kind of connections they can bring to the Pentagon and the rest of the defense world.

Jones pulled in $57,322 in Chevron common stocks from his work on the company’s board, according to SEC filings.

The retired general earned $50,405 in 2007 from serving on Invacare’s board. Data on the other companies were not available as of press time.

“We have to consider carefully how the rules apply to folks like Gen. Jones,” said Sheila Krumholz, the executive director of the Center for Responsive Politics. “If he were a lobbyist it would be easier to define.”