Michael Mullen
Michael G. Mullen | |
|---|---|
 Admiral Michael Mullen, USN 17th Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff | |
| Nickname(s) | Mike |
| Allegiance |  United States of America |
| Service | United States Navy |
| Years of service | 1968-present |
| Rank | Admiral |
| Commands | Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Chief of Naval Operations U.S. Naval Forces Europe Allied Joint Force Command Naples Vice Chief of Naval Operations U.S. Second Fleet NATO Striking Fleet Atlantic Cruiser-Destroyer Group Two George Washington Battle Group USS Yorktown (CG-48) USS Goldsborough (DDG-20) USS Noxubee (AOG-56) |
| Awards | Defense Distinguished Service Medal (2) Navy Distinguished Service Medal (2) Defense Superior Service Medal Legion of Merit (6) |
Admiral Michael Glenn "Mike" Mullen, USN (born October 4 1946), is the 17th and current Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Mullen previously served as the Navy's 28th Chief of Naval Operations from July 22, 2005 to September 29, 2007. His other four-star assignments include being the Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Europe & Commander, Allied Joint Force Command Naples from October 2004 to May 2005, and as the 32nd Vice Chief of Naval Operations from August 2003 to August 2004. Admiral Mullen assumed his current assignment on October 1, 2007.
Background
Born in Los Angeles, California and a 1968 graduate of the United States Naval Academy, Mullen has served in a wide range of assignments at sea and ashore, in Allied, Joint and Navy positions, overseas and in both the Atlantic and the Pacific Fleets.
As a junior officer, he served in various leadership positions aboard USS Collett (DD-730), USS Blandy (DD-943), USS Fox (CG-33) and USS Sterrett (CG-31). He has commanded three ships: the gasoline tanker USS Noxubee (AOG-56), the guided missile destroyer USS Goldsborough (DDG-20), and the guided missile cruiser USS Yorktown (CG-48); and has also commanded Cruiser-Destroyer Group Two and the George Washington Battle Group. Mullen’s last command at sea was as Commander, U.S. Second Fleet/Commander, NATO Striking Fleet Atlantic (COMSTRIKFLTLANT).
Ashore, Adm. Mullen served as Company Officer and Executive Assistant to the Commandant of Midshipmen at the U.S. Naval Academy. He also served in the Bureau of Naval Personnel as Director, Chief of Planning and Provisions, Surface Officer Distribution and in the Office of the Secretary of Defense on the staff of the Director, Operational Test and Evaluation. On the Chief of Naval Operations' staff, Adm. Mullen served as Deputy Director and Director of Surface Warfare and as Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Resources, Requirements, and Assessments (N8). He was the 32nd Vice Chief of Naval Operations from August 2003 to October 2004.
He was recognized by his peers in 1987 with the Vice Admiral Stockdale leadership award for leadership skill. He is one of 53 naval officers to be recognized by this award since its inception in 1980.
In 1985, Mullen graduated from the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, Calif., with a Master of Science degree in Operations Research, and in 1991, he completed the Harvard Business School Advanced Management Program.
As Commander, Allied Joint Force Command Naples, Mullen had operational responsibility for NATO missions in the Balkans, Iraq, and the Mediterranean. As Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Europe, he was responsible for providing overall command, operational control, and coordination of U.S. naval forces in the European Command area of responsibility. He assumed these duties on 8 October 2004 and was relieved of them upon his becoming Chief of Naval Operations.
Admiral Mullen has a wife, Deborah, and two sons, LT Michael and LT John Mullen.
Quotations
- "Without mastery of the sea -- without Sea Power -- we cannot protect trade, we cannot help those in peril, we cannot provide relief from natural disaster, and we cannot intercede when whole societies are torn asunder by slavery, weapons of mass destruction, drugs, and piracy. Without sea power we cannot hope -- the world cannot hope -- to achieve what President Bush has called 'a balance of power that favors freedom." (To the Current Strategy Forum, 31 August 2005 at the Naval War College Newport, R.I.).[1]
- "The Navy is first and foremost a fighting, sea-going service — always has been. The weapons and technology change. The ships, aircraft, and submarines certainly improve over time, but the job remains the same: to take the fight to the enemy so that he cannot take it to us." (From All Ahead Full — Message to the men and women of the United States Navy, 23 July 2005). [1]
- "Today the Navy grants me yet another great opportunity, and I intend to make good on my obligation in return. Listen. Learn. And lead. Those will be my watchwords these next four years — a challenge to myself and to all of you." [1]
Joint Chiefs of Staff
On June 8, 2007, Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates announced that he would advise President Bush to nominate Admiral Mullen to succeed General Peter Pace as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff[2]; President Bush announced the nomination formally on June 28, 2007[3].
On August 3, 2007, the U.S. Senate confirmed Michael Mullen as the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.[4] Upon taking office, Mullen became the first Navy Admiral to hold the Chairman's position since Admiral William Crowe, who served as Chairman prior to the enactment of the Goldwater-Nichols Act in 1987, and was the immediate predecessor to Army General and later Secretary of State Colin Powell.
Senate testimony regarding the Iraq war
During Mullen's Senate confirmation hearings for the position of Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Mullen identified political progress in Iraq as a critical component of Iraq policy.[5] He noted that, "there does not appear to be much political progress" in Iraq.[5] He also said, "If [the Iraqis] aren't making progress in [the political] realm, the prospects for movement in a positive direction are not very good. Failure to achieve tangible progress toward [political] reconciliation requires a strategic reassessment."[5] Mullen further told the Senate that the United States needs to "bring as much pressure on [Iraq's political leaders] as [the U.S.] possibly can." [5]
Regarding the length and scope of the U.S. involvement in Iraq, Mullen told the Senate that while he does not envision permanent U.S. bases in Iraq, "vital interests in the region and in Iraq require a pragmatic, long-term commitment that will be measured in years, not months." [5]
Military awards
- U.S. Military decorations
- Non-U.S. decorations
- Badges
External links
http://www.usnews.com/articles/news/national/2008/04/18/admiral-michael-mullen-a-navy-man-looks-out-for-the-army.html A Navy Man Looks Out For The Army.
Notes
- ^ a b c Admiral Michael G. Mullen, CNO. Quotes from the CNC, CNO, USN. Cite error: The named reference "quotes" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
- ^ "Pace leaving as Joint Chiefs chairman". CNN. June 8, 2007. Retrieved 2007-06-08.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ "President Bush Nominates Admiral Michael Mullen and General James Cartwright to Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff" (Press release) (in English). White House Press Secretary. June 28, 2007. Retrieved 2007-07-20.
{{cite press release}}: Check date values in:|date=(help)CS1 maint: unrecognized language (link) - ^ "Senate confirms Mullen as new military chief". Reuters. August 4, 2007. Retrieved 2007-08-04.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ a b c d e "Nominee Mullen: Little political progress in Iraq". USA Today. August 1, 2007. Retrieved 2007-08-04.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help)
References
- Official United States Navy biography (from United States Navy Homepage)
- Official Longer Version of United States Navy Biography
 |  | ||
