Rear Adm. James Foggo has been tapped to lead 6th Fleet and get a third star, the Defense Department announced Wednesday.
Foggo, who was nominated by President Obama, is currently the assistant deputy chief of naval operations for operations, plans and strategy at the Pentagon.
If confirmed, Foggo will relieve Vice Adm. Phil Davidson, who is heading to Fleet Forces Command, a post that comes with a fourth star.
Sixth Fleet is a prestigious billet whose office holders have often gone on to four-star postings. In addition to Davidson, previous 6th Fleet bosses include Adms. Harry Harris and James Winnefeld.
A submariner and 1981 Naval Academy grad, Foggo spent most of his career on attack submarines, including the Sea Devil, Narwhal and Oklahoma City. He also did a tour on the ballistic missile submarine Mariano G. Vallejo.
He is also a seasoned hand in the Sixth Fleet area, having commanded Submarine Group 8 out of Naples, Italy, and also served as the operations officer for Joint Task Force Odyssey Dawn, the 2011 campaign against the Libyan dictator’s regime.
Foggo has also been an in-house critic of the Navy’s recruiting slogan, “America’s Navy: A global force for good.” Foggo took to the United State Naval Institute’s blog in August, 2012, saying the motto should appeal not just to millennial recruits but to all the Navy’s stakeholders, including industry, lawmakers and the taxpayers.
