Old Goat

For the mountain, see Goat Range (Alberta).

The Old Goat decanter in the possession of Admiral Mark Ferguson, Class of 1978.

Admiral Harry Harris accepts the Old Goat decanter from retired Admiral Cecil Haney in April 2017.

In United States Naval Academy terminology, the Old Goat is the longest-serving Naval Academy graduate on active duty. ^{[1] [2]} Since 2014, the designation has been accompanied by an award created by a previous Old Goat, Rear Admiral Alton L. Stocks. The award - a crystal decanter engraved with the initials and class years of previous holders - is passed to a new Old Goat upon the current holder's retirement. ^{[3] [4]} There have been nine Old Goats so awarded, each after more than 35 years' service to the U.S. Navy.

Award Recipients

Photo	Recipient	Class	Awarded title	Relinquished title	Last position	Ref.
	Rear Admiral Alton L. Stocks	1972	Unknown	8 March 2014	Deputy Chief, Bureau of Medicine and Surgery	[3]
	Vice Admiral Michael H. Miller	1974	8 March 2014	1 August 2015	Superintendent, United States Naval Academy	[1]
	Admiral Jonathan W. Greenert	1975	1 August 2015	18 September 2015	Chief of Naval Operations	[4]
	Admiral Mark E. Ferguson III	1978	18 September 2015	1 July 2016	Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Europe & U.S. Naval Forces Africa	[4]
	Admiral Cecil D. Haney	1978	1 July 2016	17 January 2017	Commander, U.S. Strategic Command	[5]
	Admiral Harry B. Harris Jr.	1978	17 January 2017	11 April 2018	Commander, U.S. Pacific Command
	Admiral Kurt W. Tidd	1978	11 April 2018	8 October 2018	Commander, U.S. Southern Command	[6]
	Admiral William K. Lescher	1980	8 October 2018	30 August 2022	Vice Chief of Naval Operations	[7]
	Admiral James F. Caldwell Jr.	1981	30 August 2022	10 January 2024	Director, Naval Reactors	[8]
	Admiral John C. Aquilino	1984	9 January 2024	26 June 2024	Commander, U.S. Indo-Pacific Command	[9]
	Admiral Stuart B. Munsch	1985	26 June 2024	Incumbent	Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Europe and Africa	[10]

The current Old Goat is Admiral Stuart B. Munsch (USNA '85), who has served as Commander, United States Naval Forces Europe and Africa since 2022. He received the title and accompanying award from Admiral John C. Aquilino, the outgoing commander of United States Indo-Pacific Command on 26 June 2024. ^[10]

Class of 1978

The Naval Academy's Class of 1978 was just the fourth USNA class to produce four full (four-star) admirals; each was recognized as the Old Goat. ^{[11] [12]}

References

1. Matthew Hay Brown (23 July 2014). "New superintendent says Naval Academy will meet evolving challenges". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved 31 March 2018.
2. ""Old Goat" Decanter Passed on to Oldest Active Duty USNA Graduate". YouTube. USNA Alumni Association & Foundation. Retrieved 31 March 2018.
3. CAPT Dora Lockwood (31 March 2014). "Navy Medicine Flag Officer Retires After 41 Years of Service". U.S. Navy Bureau of Medicine and Surgery. Archived from the original on June 3, 2017. Retrieved 31 March 2018.
4. MC2 Nathan Wilkes (2 October 2015). "Adm. Ferguson Receives 'Old Goat' Award". U.S. Naval Academy. Archived from the original on October 3, 2015. Retrieved 31 March 2018.
5. "U.S. Strategic Command welcomes Hyten as new commander". U.S. Strategic Command. 3 November 2016. Retrieved 31 March 2018.
6. Garamone, Jim (11 April 2018). "Pacom's Harris Passes 'Old Goat' Award to Southcom's Tidd". U.S. Department of Defense. Retrieved 3 September 2022.
7. Garamone, Jim (8 October 2018). "Passing the Decanter, the U.S. Naval Academy Way". U.S. Southern Command. Retrieved 3 September 2022.
8. "ADM William Lescher '80 passed the Old Goat Award to ADM Frank Caldwell '81 during an unofficial ceremony this month at the U.S. Naval War College". LinkedIn. United States Naval Academy. 30 August 2022. Retrieved 3 September 2022.
9. Naval Reactors [@USNavyNNPP] (January 9, 2024). "Besides being Director, @USNavyNNPP, Adm. Frank Caldwell has also been holding the Old Goat Award – as the longest serving @NavalAcademy graduate on active duty - passed today to Adm. John Aquilino, Commander, @INDOPACOM" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
10. Hardgrove, Samuel (2024-06-28). "NAVEUR-NAVAF Commander becomes U.S. Navy's Old Goat". U.S. Naval Forces Europe and Africa. Washington, D. C.: U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa Public Affairs. Retrieved 2024-07-07.
11. "Naval Academy Class of '78 Shines with Four 4-Stars". U.S. Naval Academy. 19 January 2016. Retrieved 31 March 2018.
12. "'78 Flag and General Officers". U.S. Naval Academy Class of 1978. Archived from the original on June 7, 2016.