Gary Roughead

Admiral, U.S. Navy

Gary Roughead was born on 15 July 1951 in Buffalo, NY. Roughead graduated from high school at Valley Forge Military Academy (Wayne, PA) in 1969. He is a 1973 graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy and a Surface Warfare Officer. His initial assignment was in the Weapons Department aboard the USS Josephus Daniels (CG-27). This was followed by duty as Executive Officer on the patrol gunboats USS Douglas (PG-100) and USS Tacoma (PG-92), the former home-ported in Naples, Italy. He was the commissioning Chief Engineer aboard the USS O'Bannon (DD-987) and Executive Officer on the USS Spruance (DD-963).

Shore tours include assignments as Flag Lieutenant to Commander, Naval Surface Force, U.S. Atlantic Fleet; the Surface Warfare Analyst at the Navy's Office of Program Appraisal; Administrative Aide to the Secretary of the Navy; Executive Assistant to the Commander-in-Chief, U.S. Pacific Command; Commandant, U.S. Naval Academy; the Department of the Navy's Chief of Legislative Affairs; and most recently, Deputy Commander, U.S. Pacific Command.

Roughead was the commissioning Commanding Officer of the Aegis destroyer USS Barry (DDG-52), and, upon assuming command of the cruiser USS Port Royal (CG-73), he became the first naval officer to command both classes of Aegis ships. While he was in command, Port Royal was awarded a Meritorious Unit Commendation and received the Golden Anchor Award for excellence in retention and crew support programs. He was Commander, Cruiser Destroyer Group Two and the USS George Washington (CVN-73) Carrier Battle Group, deploying to the Persian Gulf and Mediterranean Sea. His latest assignment afloat was as Commander, U.S. Second Fleet and Commander, NATO Striking Fleet Atlantic and Commander, Naval Forces North Fleet East in Norfolk, VA; he was nominated to head the Fleet Forces Command on 19 March 2007.

On 1 September 2005, Roughead was promoted to the four-star rank of Admiral and assigned as Commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet (COMPACFLT), where he served from 2005-2007. On 2 September 2005, he was a keynote speaker at the End of WWII Commemoration aboard the battleship USS Missouri (BB-63) Memorial on Ford Island in Hawaii.

He next served as Commander, U.S. Fleet Forces Command (COMUSFLTFORCOM) until 29 September 2007, when he became the Chief of Naval Operations (CNO). He served in that assignment during 2007-2011.

He retired from the Navy in 2011.

Medals and Awards

Defense Distinguished Service Medal
Navy Distinguished Service Medal (2 Awards)
Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit (4 Awards)

Honors

Roughead is a recipient of the "Bob Hope Five Star Award for Distinguished Service to America."

The Asian-American Government Executives Network (AAGEN) recognized CNO Admiral Gary Roughead with the AAGEN Excellence in Public Service Award 10 June 2010.