Ted N. Branch

Ted N. Branch
Ted N. Branch
Nickname(s)	Twig
Born	28 November 1956 (age 67); Long Beach, Mississippi
Allegiance	United States
Service/branch	United States Navy
Years of service	1979–2016
Rank	Vice Admiral
Commands held	Office of Naval Intelligence ; Naval Air Force Atlantic ; Carrier Strike Group 1 ; USS Nimitz ; USS Coronado ; Strike Fighter Squadron 15
Battles/wars	Operation Southern Watch ; Operation Urgent Fury ; Operation Earnest Will ; Operation Deliberate Force ; Operation Iraqi Freedom ; Operation Unified Response ;
Awards	Navy Distinguished Service Medal ; Legion of Merit (6)

Last updated April 06, 2024

Ted N. "Twig" Branch (born 22 April 1957) retired as a vice admiral in the United States Navy on 1 October 2016, after serving the last three years of his 37-year career as the Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for information warfare. In that capacity, he was the resource sponsor for the N2N6 portfolio which includes program investments for assured command and control, battlespace awareness, and integrated fires. He was the Navy's Chief Information Officer, the Director of Navy Cybersecurity, the leader of the Information Warfare Community, and the Director of Naval Intelligence. Branch was questioned by the Department of Justice regarding the Glenn Defense Marine Asia investigation in November 2013 and his access to classified information was suspended by the Secretary of the Navy. After a three-year investigation, Branch was cleared of all charges.

Education

Military career

Branch was a career naval aviator, flying A-7 Corsairs and F/A-18 Hornets. He has flown combat missions over Grenada, Lebanon, Bosnia-Herzegovina, and Iraq. He has served as the commanding officer of VFA-15 (Strike Fighter Squadron 15), the USS Coronado (AGF-11), the USS Nimitz (CVN 68), Carrier Strike Group One (Carl Vinson Strike Group), and Naval Air Force Atlantic. He has also served on the Joint Staff at the Pentagon.^[1]

As the commander of the USS Nimitz (CVN 68), then-Captain Branch was featured prominently in the Emmy award-winning documentary television series Carrier .^[2]

In January 2010, as the Commander of the Carl Vinson Strike Group, Branch led the initial US Navy response to the Haiti earthquake.

From February 2011 to July 2013, Branch served as the Commander of Naval Air Force, U.S. Atlantic Fleet, headquartered in Norfolk, Virginia. In that role he was responsible for manning, training, and equipping all elements of Naval Air Force, Atlantic – over 1000 aircraft, 40 thousand personnel, and six nuclear-powered aircraft carriers. While there, he also established the Interoperability Coordination Office for the United Kingdom's new aircraft carriers and the introduction of the F-35 aircraft.

On 16 May 2013, Branch was nominated by Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel to become the Director of Naval Intelligence (DNI) and the Deputy Chief of Naval Operations (DCNO)for Information Dominance (later renamed Information Warfare). He was confirmed by the United States Senate in July 2013 and promoted to Vice Admiral (O-9).^[3]

While serving in the DCNO/DNI roles, he also took on the position of Directory of Navy Cybersecurity, becoming the Navy's leading proponent for cybersecurity. In this role, he stood up a year-long matrixed organization called Task Force Cyber Awakening to develop and implement Navy's cybersecurity strategy. That group developed the CYBERSAFE program to design and build in cyber resiliency, and inculcate an enhanced culture of cybersecurity throughout the U.S. Navy. When the Task Force completed their efforts, he stood up the Navy Cybersecurity Division within N2N6 so the process of instituting CYBERSAFE and a culture of cybersecurity could continue.

Corruption scandal

On 8 November 2013, the Navy suspended Branch's access to classified information in connection with a Department of Justice investigation involving Singapore-based defense contractor, Glenn Defense Marine Asia.^[4]^[5] The investigation as to Branch involves a non-criminal accusation of "inappropriate conduct" associated with his acceptance of gifts from Glenn Marine during his tour as commanding officer of USS Nimitz on a western Pacific/Persian Gulf deployment in 2005.^[6] Although Branch remained in his post during the lengthy Justice Department investigation, his access to classified information remained suspended, relegating him to unclassified duties.

In September 2015, the Navy formally nominated Rear Admiral Elizabeth L. Train to succeed Branch as Director of Naval Intelligence.^[7]

In January 2016, the Washington Post reported that Branch was still functioning in his role, yet was "barred from reading, seeing or hearing classified information since November 2013", due to the suspension tied to the investigation.^[8]

On 1 April 2016, the Navy Times reported that the Navy had withdrawn Elizabeth Train's nomination to succeed Branch in favor of Vice Admiral Jan E. Tighe, previously commander of the Navy's Fleet Cyber Command and Commander, U.S. Tenth Fleet. Vice Admiral Tighe relieved Branch as Deputy CNO for Information Warfare/Director of Naval Intelligence in July 2016. Branch's access to classified information remained suspended until he retired.

Both the Navy and the Department of Justice cleared Branch of any wrongdoing in September 2017 and declined to prosecute Branch after a three-year investigation that resulted in no charges being brought.^[9]

Military awards and decorations

	Information Dominance Warfare Officer Badge
	Naval Aviator Wings
	Command at Sea insignia
	Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Identification Badge

	Navy Distinguished Service Medal
	Legion of Merit (with one silver award star)
	Defense Meritorious Service Medal
	Meritorious Service Medal (with one gold award star)
	Air Medal with Strike/Flight numeral 1
	Navy Commendation Medal (with two gold award stars and Combat V)
	Navy Achievement Medal
	Joint Meritorious Unit Award
	Navy Unit Commendation Ribbon (with one bronze service star)
	Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation Ribbon
	Navy "E" Ribbon w/ Wreathed Battle E device (5 awards)
	Navy Expeditionary Medal (with one bronze service star)
	National Defense Service Medal (with one bronze service star)
	Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
	Southwest Asia Service Medal
	Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
	Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
	Armed Forces Service Medal
	Navy Sea Service Deployment Ribbon (with silver and bronze service star)
	Navy Expert Pistol Marksmanship Medal

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References

↑ Navy.mil Leadership Biographies
↑ CARRIER . The Crew | PBS
↑ Formal Nomination as DCNO for Information Dominance | Naval Intelligence Professionals
↑ Whitlock, Craig (8 November 2013). "Two admirals face probe in Navy bribery scheme". Washington Post . Retrieved 8 November 2013.
↑ Perry, Tony (8 November 2013). "Two admirals under investigation in Navy bribery scandal". Los Angeles Times . Retrieved 8 November 2013.
↑ Kenny, Steve; Drew, Christopher (8 November 2013). "Contracting Case Implicates 2 Admirals". New York Times . Retrieved 9 November 2013.
↑ Larter, David (27 September 2015). "Navy nominates new intel boss after two-year stalemate". Military Times. Retrieved 13 November 2015.
↑ Whitlock, Craig (28 January 2016). "The admiral in charge of Navy intelligence has not been allowed to see military secrets for years". Washington Post. Retrieved 31 October 2019.
↑ Former Naval Intelligence Chief cleared in Fat Leonard case, USNI News , Sam LaGrone, 22 September 2017. Retrieved 29 September 2017.

External links

Official Navy Biography

Military offices
Preceded by Kendall L. Card	Director of the Office of Naval Intelligence 2013–2016	Succeeded by Jan E. Tighe

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[1] Navy.mil Leadership Biographies

[2] CARRIER . The Crew | PBS

[3] Formal Nomination as DCNO for Information Dominance | Naval Intelligence Professionals

[4] Whitlock, Craig (8 November 2013). "Two admirals face probe in Navy bribery scheme". Washington Post . Retrieved 8 November 2013.

[5] Perry, Tony (8 November 2013). "Two admirals under investigation in Navy bribery scandal". Los Angeles Times . Retrieved 8 November 2013.

[6] Kenny, Steve; Drew, Christopher (8 November 2013). "Contracting Case Implicates 2 Admirals". New York Times . Retrieved 9 November 2013.

[7] Larter, David (27 September 2015). "Navy nominates new intel boss after two-year stalemate". Military Times. Retrieved 13 November 2015.

[8] Whitlock, Craig (28 January 2016). "The admiral in charge of Navy intelligence has not been allowed to see military secrets for years". Washington Post. Retrieved 31 October 2019.

[9] Former Naval Intelligence Chief cleared in Fat Leonard case, USNI News , Sam LaGrone, 22 September 2017. Retrieved 29 September 2017.

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