United States Navy admiral
Clark at the Pentagon during the
September 11 attacks
in 2001.
Vernon Eugene Clark
[1]
(born September 7, 1944) is a retired
admiral
who served as the
Chief of Naval Operations
(CNO) of the
United States Navy
. He retired on July 22, 2005, making his tenure of five years the second-longest serving CNO behind
Arleigh Burke
. He currently sits on the board of directors of
Raytheon
and
SRI International
. In November 2009, he was selected along with former Secretary of Veterans Affairs
Togo West
by Defense Secretary
Robert Gates
to lead the military investigation into the
Fort Hood massacre
.
Early life and education
[
edit
]
Clark was born in
Sioux City, Iowa
, and grew up in the states of
Nebraska
,
Missouri
and
Illinois
. Clark graduated from
Evangel College
and earned a
Master of Business Administration
degree from the
University of Arkansas
. He attended
Officer Candidate School
and received his commission in August 1968.
Career
[
edit
]
Clark speaking aboard
USS Wisconsin
(BB-64)
in 2005.
Clark served aboard the destroyers
USS
John W. Weeks
(DD-701)
and
USS
Gearing
(DD-710)
. As a lieutenant, he commanded
USS
Grand Rapids
(PG-98)
. He subsequently commanded
USS
McCloy
(FF-1038)
,
USS
Spruance
(DD-963)
, the Atlantic Fleet's Anti-Submarine Warfare Training Center, Destroyer Squadron 17, and Destroyer Squadron 5. After being selected for flag rank, Clark commanded
Carl Vinson
Battle Group/
Cruiser-Destroyer Group 3
,
Second Fleet
, and
United States Atlantic Fleet
.
Ashore, Clark first served as special assistant to the director of the Systems Analysis Division in the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations. He later completed assignments as the administrative assistant to the Deputy Chief of Naval Operations (Surface Warfare) and as the administrative aide to the
Vice Chief of Naval Operations
. He served as head of the Cruiser-Destroyer Combat Systems Requirements Section and force anti-submarine warfare officer for the commander of Naval Surface Force, Atlantic Fleet, and he directed the Joint Staff's Crisis Action Team for
Operation Desert Shield
and
Operation Desert Storm
.
[
citation needed
]
Clark (left) relieving Johnson as Chief of Naval Operations
Clark's first flag assignment was at the
United States Transportation Command
(TRANSCOM), where he was director of plans and policy (J5) and financial management and analysis (J8). While commanding the
Carl Vinson
Battle Group, he deployed to the
Persian Gulf
and later served as the Deputy Commander, Joint Task Force Southwest Asia. Clark has also served as the Deputy and Chief of Staff, United States Atlantic Fleet; the Director of Operations (J3) and subsequently
Director
, of the Joint Staff.
[
citation needed
]
Clark became the 27th
Chief of Naval Operations
on July 21, 2000, relieving
Jay L. Johnson
. Since his retirement, Clark has been honored with the Eisenhower Award from the Business Executives for National Security and the
Distinguished Sea Service Award
from the
Naval Order of the United States
.
[2]
Clark was elected to the board of directors of
Raytheon
in December 2005 and the board of directors of
SRI International
in March 2007.
[3]
Clark now serves on the board of directors of Raytheon Company, Rolls-Royce North America, SRI International, Horizon Lines, the Armed Forces YMCA, and is on the world board of governors of the USO. He serves as a senior advisor with
Booz Allen Hamilton
, the Defense Policy Board, the advisory boards of Fleishman-Hillard, Computer Science Corporation, the Comptroller General's advisory board of the GAO, and the executive committee of Military Ministry. In addition, he is currently a distinguished professor at
Regent University
in
Virginia Beach
,
Virginia
. Clark teaches in the Robertson School of Government and the School of Business & Leadership
[4]
and is a member of the Regent's board of trustees. He was also a member of the Board of Visitors at
Air University
.
[5]
Awards and decorations
[
edit
]
References
[
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]
External links
[
edit
]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to
Vern Clark
.
- This article incorporates text in the
public domain
from the U.S. Department of Defense.
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