| Robert F. Willard | |
|---|---|
 Admiral Robert F. Willard |
|
| Allegiance | U.S. Navy |
| Years of service | 1973-present |
| Rank | Admiral |
| Commands | U.S. Pacific Fleet Seventh Fleet USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72) USS Tripoli (LPH 10) |
| Awards | Defense Distinguished Service Medal Navy Distinguished Service Medal Legion of Merit (4) Meritorious Service Medal (3) Navy Commendation Medal (4) |
Admiral Robert F. Willard, USN became the 32nd Commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet on May 8, 2007.[1] He is responsible for the world’s largest fleet command, encompassing 100 million square miles and more than 170 ships and submarines, 1,300 aircraft, and 122,000 Sailors, Reservists and civilians. Adm. Willard is a Los Angeles native and a 1973 graduate of the United States Naval Academy. He possesses a master’s degree in engineering management from Old Dominion University and is an MIT Seminar XXI alumnus. An F-14 naval aviator, Adm. Willard served consecutively in Fighter Squadron 24 (VF-24), Fighter Squadron 124 (VF-124), and Fighter Squadron 2 (VF-2) at NAS Miramar, deploying aboard USS Constellation (CV-64), USS Ranger (CV-61), and USS Kitty Hawk (CV-63). He then joined Navy Fighter Weapons School Top Gun as Operations Officer and Executive Officer, as well as aerial coordinator for the Paramount movie Top Gun. In 1987, Adm. Willard reported to Fighter Squadron 51 (VF-51), where he served as Executive Officer and Commanding Officer of the Screaming Eagles, embarked in USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70). He subsequently attended Navy Nuclear Power Training before rejoining Carl Vinson as Executive Officer. Adm. Willard then commanded the flagships USS Tripoli (LPH-10) and USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72) in various operations including Somalia, and the Persian Gulf. As a flag officer, Adm. Willard has served on the Joint Staff as Deputy Director for Operations (Current Readiness and Capabilities); Commander, Carrier Group Five embarked in USS Kitty Hawk (CV-63); Deputy and Chief of Staff, Commander in Chief, U.S. Pacific Fleet in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii; Commander, Seventh Fleet, embarked in USS Blue Ridge (LCC-19) in Yokosuka, Japan; and Director for Force Structure, Resources and Assessment (DJ8) on the Joint Chiefs of Staff. From March 2005 to April 2007, Adm. Willard was the 34th Vice Chief of Naval Operations. Adm. Willard's awards include the Defense Distinguished Service Medal, Navy Distinguished Service Medal, four awards of the Legion of Merit, three awards of the Meritorious Service Medal, four awards of the Navy Commendation Medal, the Navy Achievement Medal and other various awards. He was the 1982 Pacific Fleet Tailhooker of the Year. Admiral Willard appeared in and was a consultant for the movie Top Gun. He pilots the Mig-28 that receives "the bird" from Goose and Maverick. His callsign during this time was "Rat".
References
- This article contains material from the United States Federal Government and is in the public domain.
