The United States Fleet Forces Command (USFF) is a service component command of the United States Navy that provides naval forces to a wide variety of U.S. forces. The naval resources may be allocated to Combatant Commanders such as United States Northern Command (USNORTHCOM) under the authority of the Secretary of Defense. Originally formed as United States Atlantic Fleet (USLANTFLT) in 1906, it has been an integral part of the defense of the United States of America since the early 20th century. In 2002, the Fleet comprised over 118,000 Navy and Marine Corps personnel serving on 186 ships and in 1,300 aircraft, with an area of responsibility ranging over most of the Atlantic Ocean from the North Pole to the South Pole, the Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico, and the waters of the Pacific Ocean along the coasts of Central and South America.
A carrier strike group (CSG) is a type of carrier battle group of the United States Navy. It is an operational formation composed of roughly 7,500 personnel, usually an aircraft carrier, at least one cruiser, a destroyer squadron of at least two destroyers or frigates, and a carrier air wing of 65 to 70 aircraft. A carrier strike group also, on occasion, includes submarines, attached logistics ships and a supply ship. The carrier strike group commander operationally reports to the commander of the numbered fleet, who is operationally responsible for the area of waters in which the carrier strike group is operating.
Rear Admiral George E. "Rico" Mayer is a retired United States Naval officer and Naval Aviator. At the time of his retirement, he was the first Puerto Rican Commander of the Naval Safety Center.
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.
The Commander, Naval Air Force Atlantic is the aviation Type Commander (TYCOM) for the United States Naval aviation units operating primarily in the Atlantic under United States Fleet Forces Command. Type Commanders are in administrative control (ADCON), and in some cases operational control (OPCON) of certain types of assets assigned to the Pacific and Atlantic Fleets. AIRLANT is responsible for the material readiness, administration, training, and inspection of units/squadrons under their command, and for providing operationally ready air squadrons and aircraft carriers to the fleet.
A ship's company or complement comprises all officers, non-commissioned officers and enlisted personnel aboard a naval vessel, excluding civilians and guests.
The Commander, Naval Air Forces is the aviation Type Commander (TYCOM) for all United States Navy naval aviation units. Type Commanders are in Administrative Control (ADCON), and in some cases Operational Control (OPCON) of certain types of assets assigned to the Pacific and Atlantic Fleets. AIRFOR is responsible for the materiel readiness, administration, training, and inspection of units/squadrons under their command, and for providing operationally ready air squadrons and aircraft carriers to the fleet.
Carrier Strike Group 10, is a U.S. Navy carrier strike group. As of August 2022, CSG-10 consists of USS George H.W. Bush (CVN-77), the strike group's current flagship, with Carrier Air Wing Seven embarked on board, as well as the Ticonderoga-class cruiserLeyte Gulf, and four ships of Destroyer Squadron 26.
Nora Wingfield Tyson is a retired United States Navy vice admiral. In 2015, she was installed as commander of the Third Fleet, making her the first woman to lead a United States Navy ship fleet. She retired from service in 2017. Tyson previously served as the commander of Carrier Strike Group Two, from July 29, 2010 to January 12, 2012; she was the first female commander of a United States Navy Carrier Strike Group. She then served as Vice Director of the Joint Staff beginning in February 2012. In July 2013 she was promoted to vice admiral and named as Deputy Commander, United States Fleet Forces Command.
Commander, Carrier Strike Group FOUR is the U.S. Fleet Forces Command formation charged with training and certifying Atlantic Fleet Carrier Strike Groups, Amphibious Ready Groups, and independently deploying surface ships. Its mission is to "Conduct safe and effective Strike Force Training of the Atlantic Fleet."
Walter Edward Carter Jr. is a retired United States Navy vice admiral and an American academic administrator who has been serving as the 17th and current president of The Ohio State University since January 2024. Carter previously served as the 8th president of the University of Nebraska system from 2020 to 2023, the 62nd superintendent of the United States Naval Academy from 2014 to 2019, and the 54th president of the United States Naval War College from 2013 to 2014.
Carrier Strike Group 5, also known as CSG 5 or CARSTRKGRU 5, is the U.S. Navy carrier strike group assigned to the United States Pacific Fleet and permanently forward deployed to the U.S. 7th Fleet. The Strike Group Flagship is the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN-76) which also embarks Strike Warfare Commander, Carrier Air Wing Five and its nine squadrons. As of June 2015, CSG 5 includes three Ticonderoga-class cruisers and Destroyer Squadron Fifteen, which serves as the Sea Combat Commander and is responsible for seven assigned Arleigh Burke-class destroyers.
In the United States Navy, United States Coast Guard, United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps (USPHS), and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Officer Corps, captain is the senior-most commissioned officer rank below that of flag officer. The equivalent rank is colonel in the United States Army, Air Force, Space Force, and Marine Corps.
Thomas Albert Cropper is an American retired United States Navy rear admiral and academic administrator serving as president of the California State University Maritime Academy. Cropper was appointed on July 1, 2012 with the rank of honorary rear admiral in the U.S. Maritime Service.
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.
Samuel John Paparo Jr. is a United States Navy four-star admiral serving as the 64th commander of the United States Pacific Fleet, succeeding Admiral John C. Aquilino on May 5, 2021.
Daniel P. Martin is a United States Navy rear admiral and naval aviator who serves as the director of maritime operations of the United States Pacific Fleet. He most recently served as the commander of Carrier Strike Group 1 from May 28, 2021 to May 3, 2022. He previously served as senior military assistant to the Assistant Secretary of State for Political-Military Affairs. In earlier command tours, he commanded Carrier Air Wing 8 from June 2015 to 2016 and Strike Fighter Squadron 37 from 2010 to 2011.
Paul C. Spedero Jr. is a United States Navy rear admiral and naval aviator who has served as the vice director for operations of the Joint Staff since June 2023. He most recently served as the commander of Carrier Strike Group 8 from May 31, 2022 to June 1, 2023. He most recently served as commander of the Joint Enabling Capabilities Command from July 9, 2021 to May 23, 2022, and prior to that as director for fleet integrated readiness and analysis on the staff of the United States Fleet Forces 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.
