Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has announced the nominations of Adm. Daryl Caudle and Rear Adm. Michael Donnelly as the next chief of naval operations and commander of the Seventh Fleet, respectively.
The Department of Defense said Wednesday Caudle was also reappointed to the grade of admiral while Donnelly was appointed vice admiral.
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Who Is Daryl Caudle?
Caudle is the current commander of the U.S. Fleet Forces Command, a role he has held since December 2021. Before this, he served as commander of the Submarine Forces, where he was the undersea domain lead. He was also commander of the Submarine Force Atlantic and the Allied Submarine Command, where he was the principal undersea warfare adviser to all strategic commanders of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.
Caudle briefly served as vice director for strategy, plans and policy on the Joint Staff, or J-5. Before that, he was commander of the Pacific Fleet, deputy commander of the 6th Fleet, director of operations U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa and commander of Submarine Group Eight. He was also deputy commander of Joint Functional Component Command-Global Strike and deputy chief for security cooperation. Caudle was assigned to various leadership roles for multiple submarines, including commanding officer of USS Jefferson City.
Who Is Michael Donnelly?
Donnelly, who will be assigned in Yokosuka, Japan if confirmed, currently serves as the director of the Air Warfare Division. His extensive career includes commanding the Strike Fighter Squadron 154 (VFA-154), USS Denver (LPD 9), USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) and the Task Force 70 or Carrier Strike Group 5. The naval flight officer also piloted F-14A/B/D Tomcat and F/A-18F Super Hornet in various deployments.
The seasoned officer additionally served on NATO’s International Military Staff and had two tours with the OPNAV Staff’s Air Warfare Directorate. Donnelly was also the commander of Naval Forces Korea.
