List of United States Navy vice admirals since 2020
Last updated
Flag of a Navy vice admiral
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).
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,[a] active-duty positions held while serving at three-star rank,[b] number of years of active-duty service at three-star rank (Yrs),[c] year commissioned and source of commission,[d] number of years in commission when promoted to three-star rank (YC),[e] and other biographical notes.[f]
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.[3] All deputy commanders of the unified combatant commands are of three-star rank,[n] as are directors of Defense Agencies not headed by a civilian such as the director of the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIRDIA).[4] 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.[5]
Statutory limits, elevations and reductions
Vice Adm. Darse E. Crandall Jr. provides remarks after being sworn in as the 45th judge advocate general of the Navy on 18 August 2021.Vice Adm. Michael E. Boyle salutes sideboys during the change of command ceremony for U.S. Third Fleet on 16 June 2022.
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.[6] 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[o] 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.
For example, the nomination of Major General Ryan F. Gonsalves for promotion to lieutenant general and assignment as commanding general of U.S. Army Europe was withdrawn in November 2017[14] after an investigation was launched into the general's inappropriate comment to a female Congressional staffer.[15] As a result, Gonsalves was administratively reprimanded and retired in May 2018.[15][16][17]
Additionally, events that take place after Senate confirmation may still delay or even prevent the nominee from assuming office.
For example, Major General John G. Rossi, who had been confirmed for promotion to lieutenant general[18] and assignment as the commanding general of the U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command in April 2016[19] committed suicide two days before his scheduled promotion and assumption of command.[20] As a result, the then incumbent commander of USASMDC, Lieutenant General David L. Mann, remained in command beyond customary term limits until another nominee, Major General James H. Dickinson was confirmed by the Senate.[21]
1 2 Dates of rank are taken, where available, from the U.S. Navy register of active and retired commissioned officers, or from the monthly U.S. Navy flag officer roster. The date listed is that of the officer's first promotion to vice admiral. If such a date that qualifies for the above cannot be found, the next date substituted should be that of the officer's assumption of his/her first three-star appointment. Failing which, the officer's first Senate confirmation date to vice admiral should be substituted. For officers promoted to vice admiral on the same date, they should be organized first by officers promoted to four-star rank, number of years spent as a vice admiral, then by the tier of their first listed assignment upon promotion to vice admiral (joint assignments followed by service assignments).
1 2 Positions listed are those held by the officer when promoted to vice admiral. Dates listed are for the officer's full tenure, which may predate promotion to three-star rank or postdate retirement from active duty. Positions held in an acting capacity are italicized.
1 2 The number of years of active-duty service at three-star rank is approximated by subtracting the year in the "Date of rank" column from the last year in the "Position" column. Time spent between active-duty three-star assignments is not counted.
1 2 The number of years in commission before being promoted to three-star rank is approximated by subtracting the year in the "Commission" column from the year in the "Date of rank" column.
1 2 Notes include years of birth and death; awards of the Medal of Honor, Congressional Gold Medal, Presidential Medal of Freedom, or honors of similar significance; major government appointments; university presidencies or equivalents; familial relationships with significant military officers or significant government officials such as U.S. Presidents, cabinet secretaries, U.S. Senators, or state governors; and unusual career events such as premature relief or death in office.
↑ Per the 2017 NDAA, the JAG's statutory three-star rank was repealed, however it remains a vice admiral's billet.'"`UNIQ--ref-0000001E-QINU`"'
↑ The deputy commander of U.S. European Command was a four-star position until 2007, when it was reduced in rank to make way for the establishment of U.S. Africa Command, commanded by a four-star officer. The last four-star deputy commander of USEUCOM, General William E. Ward, also became the first commander of USAFRICOM.
↑ 10U.S.C.§601 refers to positions held by four-star and three-star officers as "positions of importance and responsibility".
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