The Distinguished Service Medal (DSM) is a military decoration of the United States Army that is presented to soldiers who have distinguished themselves by exceptionally meritorious service to the government in a duty of great responsibility. The performance must be such as to merit recognition for service that is clearly exceptional. The exceptional performance of normal duty will not alone justify an award of this decoration.
The Naval War College is the staff college and "Home of Thought" for the United States Navy at Naval Station Newport in Newport, Rhode Island. The NWC educates and develops leaders, supports defining the future Navy and associated roles and missions, supports combat readiness, and strengthens global maritime partnerships.
Forrest Percival Sherman was an admiral in the United States Navy and the youngest person to serve as Chief of Naval Operations until Admiral Elmo Zumwalt in 1970. The Forrest Sherman-class destroyer and the airfield at Naval Air Station Pensacola were named for him.
Leon Albert "Bud" Edney is a former United States Navy officer. A native of Dedham, Massachusetts, he retired from the navy as an admiral after serving as Vice Chief of Naval Operations from 1988 to 1990.
Timothy John Keating is a retired United States Navy admiral. During his career, he served as commander of Carrier Group Five, the United States 5th Fleet, the United States Northern Command and North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD), and United States Pacific Command. He retired in 2009 after more than 38 years of service. He was the first navy officer to head Northern Command and NORAD.
Patrick Michael Walsh is a former United States Navy four-star admiral who last served as the 59th Commander of the U.S. Pacific Fleet from September 25, 2009 to January 20, 2012. He served as the 35th Vice Chief of Naval Operations from April 5, 2007 to August 13, 2009, and as Commander of the U.S. Naval Forces Central Command and Commander, U.S. 5th Fleet from October 2005 to February 27, 2007. He retired from the Navy with over 34 years of service.
Vice Admiral Nancy E. Brown is a retired vice admiral in the United States Navy who most recently served as the Director, Command, Control, Communications and Computer Systems, The Joint Staff. She was the principal advisor to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff on all C4 systems matters within the Department of Defense. Her service spanned 32 years. She retired in 2009.
William Evans "Bill" Gortney is a retired United States Navy admiral who served as the sixth commander of United States Northern Command and the 23rd commander of North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD). He previously served as the Commander, United States Fleet Forces Command from September 14, 2012 to December 2014 and Director of the Joint Staff from July 1, 2010 to August 2012. Prior to that, he served as Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Central Command/5th Fleet. He assumed his post as CDRUSNORTHCOM and commander of NORAD on December 5, 2014, and was succeeded by General Lori Robinson on May 13, 2016.
James Alexander "Sandy" Winnefeld Jr. is a retired United States Navy admiral who serves as the chair of the President's Intelligence Advisory Board since May 4, 2022. While on active duty, Winnefeld served as the ninth vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from August 4, 2011 to July 31, 2015.
Scott Eugene Sanders received his commission in May 1980 from the United States Naval Academy and was designated a naval aviator in 1982. After completing training in the E-2C, he reported to the Seahawks of Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron (VAW) 126. While at VAW-126, he made deployments to the Mediterranean and Caribbean aboard USS John F. Kennedy.
Robin Rumble Braun is a retired vice admiral of the United States Navy. Her last assignment was as Chief of Navy Reserve and Commander, Navy Reserve Force. She assumed that assignment on 13 August 2012. She was the first female commander of the United States Navy Reserve, and the first woman to lead any Reserve component of the United States military. Prior to her last assignment, Braun served as Deputy Director, European Plans and Operations Center, ECJ-3 United States European Command.
Herbert Douglas Riley was a highly decorated officer in the United States Navy with the rank of Vice admiral. A United States Naval Academy graduate, he trained as naval aviator and distinguished himself first as commanding officer of the escort carrier USS Makassar Strait during the combats at Iwo Jima and Okinawa during World War II.
Daniel Robert Hokanson is a four-star general in the United States Army who currently serves as the 29th chief of the National Guard Bureau. He previously served as the 21st director of the Army National Guard. His previous military assignments include serving as vice chief of the National Guard Bureau, deputy commander of United States Northern Command, adjutant general of the Oregon National Guard, and commander of the 41st Infantry Brigade Combat Team. He is a veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Enduring Freedom, and Operation Just Cause. Hokanson assumed his current assignment on August 3, 2020.
Sara Annette Joyner is a United States Navy officer. She is the first female strike fighter pilot to command a United States Navy fighter squadron and a carrier air wing. Her promotion to rear admiral was authorized by the United States Senate on 25 May 2017. On 24 February, the Secretary of Defence announced that Joyner would be promoted to the rank of rear admiral ; she was pinned on 1 April 2021. She was promoted to vice admiral on 3 June 2022.
Scott Andrew Stearney was an American naval aviator and vice admiral of the United States Navy who served as commander of the Fifth Fleet based in Bahrain.
Andrew Lloyd Lewis is a retired admiral in the United States Navy who last served as the commander of the United States Second Fleet and NATO Joint Force Command for the Atlantic. Lewis previously served as the Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Operations, Plans and Strategy. He took command of the United States Second Fleet upon its reestablishment on August 24, 2018.
Ross Allen Myers is an American naval aviator and a retired vice admiral in the United States Navy, who served as deputy commander of the United States Cyber Command from May 2019 to September 2020. He was nominated in March 2020 to be the commander of the United States Tenth Fleet/U.S. Fleet Cyber Command, replacing retiring Vice Admiral Timothy J. White. As a naval aviator, he has commanded several warships and military units, including fleet replacement squadron, Carrier air wing, and air group.
Wallace Morris Beakley was an American naval aviator, diplomat, commander of the United States Seventh Fleet, deputy chief of naval operations, and vice admiral in the United States Navy. He served as vice chief of naval operations for Atlantic Fleet and commander in chief for Western Atlantic until he retired from the U.S. uniformed services in 1964.
John Vincent Fuller is a United States Navy vice admiral who serves as the 42nd Naval Inspector General since June 11, 2021. Prior to that, Fuller served as deputy director for force protection of the Joint Staff and before that as the director of strategy, plans, and policy of the United States Northern Command.
Daniel Lyle Cheever is a United States Navy rear admiral who served as chief of staff of the North American Aerospace Defense Command and United States Northern Command from August 26, 2022, to July 2023. He most recently served as the Director of Plans, Policy, and Strategy of the North American Aerospace Defense Command and United States Northern Command from July 15, 2020, to July 29, 2022. He previously served as the Commander of Carrier Strike Group 4. Raised in Downers Grove, Illinois, Cheever earned a Bachelor of Business degree from Western Illinois University in 1986. He joined the navy in 1988 and, after flight training, was designated a naval aviator in 1990.
