Loading AI tools
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The rank of vice admiral (or three-star admiral) is the second-highest rank normally achievable in the United States Navy, and the first to have a specified number of appointments set by statute. It ranks above rear admiral (two-star admiral) and below admiral (four-star admiral).
There have been 54 vice admirals in the U.S. Navy since 1 January 2020, four of whom were promoted to four-star admiral. All 54 achieved that rank while on active duty in the U.S. Navy. Admirals entered the Navy via several paths: 26 were commissioned via Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps (NROTC) at a civilian university, 19 via the U.S. Naval Academy (USNA), four via Aviation Officer Candidate School (AOCS), two via Officer Candidate School (OCS), one via direct commission (direct), and one via the California State University Maritime Academy (CSU Maritime).
Entries in the following list of vice admirals are indexed by the numerical order in which each officer was promoted to that rank while on active duty, or by an asterisk (*) if the officer did not serve in that rank while on active duty. Each entry lists the admiral's name, date of rank,[lower-alpha 1] active-duty positions held while serving at three-star rank,[lower-alpha 2] number of years of active-duty service at three-star rank (Yrs),[lower-alpha 3] year commissioned and source of commission,[lower-alpha 4] number of years in commission when promoted to three-star rank (YC),[lower-alpha 5] and other biographical notes.[lower-alpha 6]
| # | Name | Photo | Date of rank[lower-alpha 1] | Position[lower-alpha 2] | Yrs[lower-alpha 3] | Commission[lower-alpha 4] | YC[lower-alpha 5] | Notes[lower-alpha 6] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Randy B. Crites |  |
15 May 2020 |
|
3 | 1985 (OCS)[lower-alpha 7] | 35 | (1962– ) |
| 2 | Yancy B. Lindsey |  |
29 May 2020 |
|
3 | 1986 (AOCS) | 34 | (1962– ) |
| 3 | Eugene H. Black III |  |
1 Jun 2020 |
|
4 | 1986 (USNA) | 34 | (1964– ) |
| 4 | Jeffrey E. Trussler |  |
5 Jun 2020 |
|
3 | 1985 (NROTC) | 35 | (1963– ) |
| 5 | William J. Galinis |  |
19 Jun 2020 |
|
3 | 1983 (USNA) | 37 | (1961– ) |
| 6 | Michelle C. Skubic | .jpg) |
24 Jul 2020 |
|
4 | 1988 (NROTC) | 32 | (1966– ) Supply Corps. |
| 7 | Roy I. Kitchener |  |
3 Aug 2020 |
|
3 | 1984 (NROTC) | 36 | (1962– ) |
| 8 | John B. Mustin |  |
7 Aug 2020 |
|
4 | 1990 (USNA) | 30 | (1967– ) Son of Navy vice admiral Henry C. Mustin; grandson of Navy vice admiral Lloyd M. Mustin; step-great grandson of Navy four-star admiral George D. Murray. |
| * | Samuel J. Paparo Jr. | .jpg) |
19 Aug 2020 |
|
1 | 1987 (NROTC) | 33 | (1964– )[lower-alpha 8] Promoted to admiral, 5 May 2021. |
| 9 | Kenneth R. Whitesell |  |
2 Oct 2020 |
|
3 | 1985 (AOCS) | 35 | (1961– ) |
| 10 | Jeffrey W. Hughes |  |
1 Feb 2021 |
|
3 | 1988 (NROTC) | 33 | (1966– ) |
| 11 | Charles B. Cooper II | .jpg) |
5 May 2021 |
|
3 | 1989 (USNA) | 32 | (1967– ) |
| 12 | Kelly A. Aeschbach | .jpg) |
7 May 2021 |
|
3 | 1990 (NROTC) | 31 | (1968– ) |
| * | Stephen T. Koehler |  |
3 Jun 2021 |
|
3 | 1986 (NROTC) | 35 | (1964– ) Promoted to admiral, 4 Apr 2024. |
| 13 | John V. Fuller |  |
11 Jun 2021 |
|
3 | 1987 (USNA) | 34 | (1965– ) |
| 14 | Karl O. Thomas | .jpg) |
8 Jul 2021 |
|
3 | 1986 (NROTC) | 35 | (1963– ) |
| 15 | Frank D. Whitworth III | .jpg) |
30 Jul 2021[1] |
|
3 | 1989 (NROTC) | 32 | (1967– ) Brother-in-law of Navy vice admiral Darse E. Crandall Jr. |
| 16 | Francis D. Morley |  |
4 Aug 2021 |
|
3 | 1988 (NROTC) | 33 | (1966– ) |
| 17 | Darse E. Crandall Jr. |  |
18 Aug 2021 |
|
3 | 1984 (NROTC) | 37 | (1962– ) Judge Advocate General's Corps. Brother-in-law of Navy vice admiral Frank D. Whitworth III. |
| 18 | Daniel W. Dwyer | .jpg) |
20 Aug 2021 |
|
3 | 1988 (CSU Maritime) | 33 | (1966– ) |
| 19 | Carl P. Chebi |  |
9 Sep 2021 |
|
3 | 1987 (NROTC) | 34 | (1965– ) |
| * | William J. Houston |  |
10 Sep 2021 |
|
2 | 1990 (NROTC) | 31 | (1968– )[lower-alpha 9] Promoted to admiral, 10 Jan 2024. |
| 20 | Collin P. Green |  |
16 Dec 2021 |
|
3 | 1986 (USNA) | 35 | (1962– ) Navy SEAL. |
| 21 | Sara A. Joyner |  |
3 Jun 2022 |
|
2 | 1989 (USNA) | 33 | (1967– ) |
| 22 | Richard J. Cheeseman Jr. |  |
3 Jun 2022 |
|
2 | 1989 (NROTC) | 33 | (1966– )[lower-alpha 10] |
| 23 | Michael E. Boyle | .jpg) |
16 Jun 2022 |
|
2 | 1987 (NROTC) | 35 | (1965– ) |
| 24 | Craig A. Clapperton | .jpg) |
4 Aug 2022 |
|
2 | 1989 (NROTC) | 33 | (1967– ) |
| 25 | Frank M. Bradley |  |
10 Aug 2022 |
|
2 | 1991 (USNA) | 31 | (c. 1970– ) Navy SEAL. |
| 26 | Thomas E. Ishee |  |
15 Sep 2022 |
|
2 | 1988 (OCS) | 34 | (1965– ) |
| 27 | Richard A. Correll |  |
1 Dec 2022 |
|
2 | 1986 (NROTC) | 36 | (1964– ) |
| 28 | John F.G. Wade |  |
1 Dec 2022 |
|
2 | 1990 (USNA) | 32 | (1968– ) |
| * | Alvin Holsey | .jpg) |
1 Feb 2023 |
|
1 | 1988 (NROTC) | 35 | (1965– )[lower-alpha 8] Promoted to admiral, 7 Nov 2024. |
| 29 | James E. Pitts |  |
5 Dec 2023 |
|
1 | 1986 (USNA) | 37 | (1964– ) |
| 30 | Jeffrey T. Jablon |  |
5 Dec 2023 |
|
1 | 1987 (NROTC) | 36 | (1964– ) |
| 31 | Blake L. Converse |  |
5 Dec 2023 |
|
1 | 1987 (NROTC) | 36 | (1965– ) |
| 32 | Shoshana S. Chatfield | .jpg) |
13 Dec 2023 |
|
1 | 1987 (NROTC) | 36 | (1965– ) President, Naval War College, 2019–2023. |
| 33 | Christopher S. Gray | .jpg) |
18 Dec 2023 |
|
1 | 1989 (AOCS) | 34 | (1964– ) |
| 34 | Brendan R. McLane |  |
21 Dec 2023 |
|
1 | 1990 (USNA) | 33 | (1968– ) |
| 35 | John B. Skillman | .jpg) |
22 Dec 2023 |
|
1 | 1986 (USNA) | 37 | (1964– ) |
| 36 | Robert M. Gaucher |  |
28 Dec 2023 |
|
1 | 1991 (USNA) | 32 | (c. 1966– ) |
| 37 | James P. Downey |  |
3 Jan 2024 |
|
0 | 1987 (NROTC) | 37 | (1964– ) |
| 38 | Yvette M. Davids |  |
11 Jan 2024 |
|
0 | 1989 (USNA) | 35 | (1967– ) Wife of Navy rear admiral Keith B. Davids. |
| 39 | John E. Gumbleton |  |
12 Jan 2024 |
|
0 | 1989 (NROTC) | 35 | (1967– ) |
| 40 | Douglas G. Perry |  |
12 Jan 2024 |
|
0 | 1989 (USNA) | 35 | (1967– ) |
| 41 | Daniel L. Cheever | _(cropped).jpg) |
31 Jan 2024 |
|
0 | 1988 (AOCS) | 36 | (1963– ) |
| 42 | George M. Wikoff | .jpg) |
1 Feb 2024 |
|
0 | 1990 (NROTC) | 34 | (1968– ) |
| 43 | Frederick W. Kacher |  |
15 Feb 2024 |
|
0 | 1990 (USNA) | 34 | (1968– ) |
| 44 | Scott W. Pappano |  |
3 Jul 2024 |
|
0 | 1989 (USNA) | 35 | (c. 1967– ) |
| 45 | Michael J. Vernazza |  |
26 Jul 2024 |
|
0 | 1990 (USNA) | 34 | (c. 1968– ) |
| 46 | Dion D. English |  |
2 Aug 2024 |
|
0 | 1993 (NROTC) | 31 | (c. 1971– ) |
| 47 | Nancy S. Lacore | .jpg) |
23 Aug 2024 |
|
0 | 1990 (NROTC) | 34 | |
| 48 | Christopher C. French |  |
5 Sep 2024 |
|
3 | 1992 (direct)[lower-alpha 11] | 32 | Judge Advocate General's Corps. |
| 49 | Jeffrey T. Anderson | .jpg) |
20 Sep 2024 |
|
0 | 1991 (USNA) | 33 | (c. 1969– ) |
| 50 | Peter A. Garvin |  |
11 Oct 2024 |
|
0 | 1989 (USNA) | 35 | (c. 1967– ) President, Naval War College, 2023–2024. |
.jpg)
Vice admirals in the United States Navy include commanders of numbered fleets[lower-alpha 12] as well as high-level type commands and geographic commands, including the commanders of the naval submarine forces, naval surface forces, naval information forces and the chief of navy reserve. Heads of Navy staff corps such as the judge advocate general[lower-alpha 13] are also vice admirals. The superintendent of the United States Naval Academy has been a three-star vice admiral without interruption since John R. Ryan's tenure began in 1998.
As with any other service branch, vice admirals can hold joint assignments, of which there are 30 to 50 at any given time. Among the most prestigious of them is the director of the Joint Staff (DJS), principal staff advisor to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and historically considered a stepping stone to four-star rank.[4] All deputy commanders of the unified combatant commands are of three-star rank,[lower-alpha 14] as are directors of Defense Agencies not headed by a civilian such as the director of the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIRDIA).[5] Internationally-based three-star positions include the United States military representative to the NATO Military Committee (USMILREP), the commander of Allied Joint Force Command - Norfolk (JFC-NF), and the security coordinator for Israel and the Palestinian National Authority. All nominees for three-star rank must be confirmed via majority by the Senate before the appointee can take office and thus assume the rank.[6]
The U.S. Code states that no more than 34 officers in the U.S. Navy may hold the rank of vice admiral on the active duty list, aside from those on joint duty assignments.[7] Three-star positions can be elevated to four-star grade or reduced to two-star grade where deemed necessary, either to highlight their increasing importance[lower-alpha 15] to the defense apparatus (or lack thereof) or to achieve parity with equivalent commands in other services or regions. Few three-star positions are set by statute, leading to their increased volatility as they do not require congressional approval to be downgraded.
Military nominations are considered by the Senate Armed Services Committee. While it is rare for three-star or four-star nominations to face even token opposition in the Senate, nominations that do face opposition due to controversy surrounding the nominee in question are typically withdrawn. Nominations that are not withdrawn are allowed to expire without action at the end of the legislative session.
Additionally, events that take place after Senate confirmation may still delay or even prevent the nominee from assuming office.
Seamless Wikipedia browsing. On steroids.
Every time you click a link to Wikipedia, Wiktionary or Wikiquote in your browser's search results, it will show the modern Wikiwand interface.
Wikiwand extension is a five stars, simple, with minimum permission required to keep your browsing private, safe and transparent.
