Quick Facts
Biography
James Gordon Foggo III (born September 2, 1959) is a United States Navy Vice admiral who currently serves as the director of Navy Staff. He previously served as the commander of U.S. Sixth Fleet. He assumed his current assignment in November 2016. On June 12, 2017, Foggo has been nominated as next commander of U.S. Naval Forces Europe, U.S. Naval Forces Africa and Allied Joint Force Command Naples. Ten days later, he was confirmed for the above commands and promotion to Admiral by the Senate's Armed Services Committee.
Born in 1959, Foggo is a 1981 graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy and a native of Virginia. He is also an Olmsted Scholar and Moreau Scholar, earning a master's degree in public administration at Harvard University and a Diplome d’Etudes Approfondies in Defense and Strategic Studies from the University of Strasbourg, France.
His sea duties include tours aboard USS Sea Devil (SSN 664), USS Mariano G. Vallejo (SSBN 658) and USS Narwhal (SSN 671). He commanded the attack submarine, USS Oklahoma City (SSN 723) in 1998, which was awarded the Submarine Squadron (SUBRON) 8 Battle Efficiency award and the Commander Fleet Forces Command Adm. Arleigh Burke Fleet Trophy for being the most improved ship in the Atlantic Fleet. Foggo completed his major command tour of SUBRON-6 in 2007.
Ashore, he has served as special assistant in the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Technology; senior member of the Atlantic Fleet Nuclear Propulsion Examining Board at Commander Fleet Forces Command; executive assistant to the director of Naval Nuclear Propulsion (NAVSEA 08); division chief, Joint Staff (J5) for Western Europe and the Balkans; director, executive assistant to chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; executive officer to the Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR) and commander, United States European Command, Director, Assessment Division (N81) and assistant deputy chief of naval operations (operations, plans and strategy) (N3/N5B).
In Naples, Italy, he served as commander, Submarine Group 8; commander, Submarines, Allied Naval Forces South; deputy commander, U.S. 6th Fleet, and director of Operations, Intelligence (N3), U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa. During this period, he served as the operations officer (J-3) for Joint Task Force Odyssey Dawn (Libya). Additionally, Foggo was a NATO Commander Task Force commander in Joint Task Force Unified Protector (Libya). In most recent assignment, Foggo commanded the U.S. 6th Fleet, Naval Striking and Support Forces NATO; deputy commander, U.S. Naval Forces Europe; deputy commander, U.S. Naval Forces Africa; and Joint Force Maritime Component Commander Europe.
Foggo’s awards include the 1995 Admiral Charles A. Lockwood Award for Submarine Professional Excellence and he is also a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.
Awards and decorations
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| Officer Submarine Warfare insignia | ||
| Silver SSBN Deterrent Patrol insignia (4 awards) | ||
| Navy Distinguished Service Medal w/ 1 gold award star | Defense Superior Service Medal w/ 3 bronze oak leaf clusters | Legion of Merit w/ 3 award stars |
| Defense Meritorious Service Medal | Meritorious Service Medal w/ 2 award stars | Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal w/ 2 award stars |
| Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal | Joint Meritorious Unit Award w/ 2 oak leaf clusters | Navy Unit Commendation |
| Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation w/ 3 bronze service stars | Navy "E" Ribbon with three Battle E awards | Navy Expeditionary Medal |
| National Defense Service Medal w/ 1 service star | Global War on Terrorism Service Medal | Armed Forces Service Medal w/ 1 service star |
| Navy Sea Service Deployment Ribbon w/ 1 silver service star | Navy Arctic Service Ribbon | Navy & Marine Corps Overseas Service Ribbon w/ 3 service stars |
| Special Operations Service Ribbon | French National Order of Merit, Knight | NATO Meritorious Service Medal w/ 1 service star |
| NATO Medal for the former Yugoslavia w/ 1 service star | Navy Expert Pistol Shot Medal | Oklahoma State Distinguished Service Medal |
| Joint Chiefs of Staff Badge | ||