Sea Services Luncheon
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Sea Services Luncheon August 4, 2017 Seattle Navy League Sea Services Awardees Seattle Navy League 2017 Annual Sea Services Luncheon Admiral Scott H. Swift Commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet Adm. Scott Swift attended San Diego State University and received his commission in 1979 through the Aviation Reserve Officer Candidate program. He received his master’s degree from the Naval War College, Newport, Rhode Island. His operational assignments include Attack Squadron (VA) 94; VA-97; Carrier Air Wing 11 staff; commander, Strike Fighter Attack Squadron (VFA) 97; commander, Carrier Air Wing 14; deputy commander, Naval Forces, U.S. Central Command; commander, Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 9; and commander, U.S. 7th Fleet. During those tours he participated in combat Operations Praying Mantis, Southern Watch, Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. His shore tour assignments include VA-122; Naval War College; commander of Strike Fighter Weapons School, Pacific; F/A-18 requirements officer, OPNAV; commander, VFA-122; officer of the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics staff; and director of Operations, U.S. Pacific Command. Prior to assuming command at U.S. Pacific Fleet, he was assigned to the Pentagon as the director, Navy Staff. Swift was promoted to Admiral and assumed command of the U.S. Pacific Fleet on May 27, 2015. He is the 35th commander since the fleet was established in February 1941 with headquarters at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. Swift has been recognized as the commander, Naval Air Forces, U.S. Pacific Fleet Landing Signal Officer of the Year; was presented the Commander Michael G. Hoff Award as the U.S. Pacific Fleet Attack Aviator of the Year; and is entitled to wear the Distinguished Service Medal, Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Bronze Star, Meritorious Service Medal, and Air Medal with Combat V, along with various other personal, unit and service awards. Note: All the information contained in this document was obtained in its original form from the individual ships and units. Seattle Navy League 2017 Annual Sea Services Luncheon Vice Admiral Nora W. Tyson Commander, U.S. 3rd Fleet A native of Memphis, Tennessee, Vice Admiral Nora Tyson graduated from Vanderbilt University and received her commission from Officer Candidate School in Newport, Rhode Island. She earned her wings as a naval flight officer in 1983 and reported to Fleet Air Reconnaissance Squadron (VQ) 4, where she ultimately served three tours at Naval Air Station (NAS) Patuxent River, Maryland, and Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma, including one as commanding officer. Tyson also commanded the amphibious assault ship, USS Bataan (LHD 5), leading the Navy’s contributions to disaster relief efforts on the U.S. Gulf Coast in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, and deploying twice to the Persian Gulf in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Her other commands include commander, Task Force 73/commander, Logistics Group Western Pacific based in Singapore and, most recently, commander, Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 2, where she led the USS George H.W. Bush Strike Group on its maiden deployment in support of operations in both 6th and 5th Fleet areas of responsibility. Her other tours at sea include assistant operations officer aboard the training aircraft carrier, USS Lexington (AVT 16), and as navigator aboard USS Enterprise (CVN 65). Her shore tours include service on the Joint Staff as a political-military planner in the Asia- Pacific Division of the Strategic Plans and Policy Directorate (J-5); as executive assistant for the assistant to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; as director of staff for Commander, Naval Forces Europe/Commander, 6th Fleet; as executive assistant for the Chief of Naval Operations; and as vice director, Joint Staff. Tyson's last tour was as deputy commander, U.S. Fleet Forces Command. Tyson reported as Commander, U.S. 3rd Fleet in July 2015. Tyson earned a Master of Arts in National Security and Strategic Affairs from the U.S. Naval War College in 1995. Note: All the information contained in this document was obtained in its original form from the individual ships and units. Seattle Navy League 2017 Annual Sea Services Luncheon Vice Admiral Fred M. Midgette Commander, Pacific Area Commander, Coast Guard Defense Force West Vice Admiral Midgette assumed the duties of Commander, Coast Guard Pacific Area in August 2016, where he serves as the operational commander for all U.S. Coast Guard missions within half of the world that ranges from the Rocky Mountains to the waters off the East Coast of Africa. He concurrently serves as Commander, Defense Force West and provides Coast Guard mission support to the Department of Defense and Combatant Commanders. Prior to this, he served as the Deputy Commandant for Operations where he was responsible for developing operational strategy, policy, guidance, and resources that address national priorities. From 2014 - 2015 he served in the Great Lakes as the Ninth Coast Guard District Commander, an area that encompasses eight states, a 1,500 mile international border, and a workforce of over 6,000 active duty, reserve, civilian, and auxiliary members. From 2011 - 2013, he served as the Senior Military Advisor to the Secretary of Homeland Security where he supported the Secretary in the coordination and execution of policy and operations between the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Defense. Vice Admiral Midgette has served afloat on both coasts and the Great Lakes, earning designation as a Coast Guard Cutterman and a U.S. Navy Surface Warfare Officer. He has commanded four Coast Guard cutters and served afloat on the CGC TANEY (Portsmouth, VA); USS FIFE (San Diego, CA); CGC POINT LEDGE (Fort Bragg, CA); CGC POINT WINSLOW (Eureka & Morro Bay, CA); CGC KATMAI BAY (Sault Ste. Marie, MI); CGC HARRIET LANE (Portsmouth, VA); CGC FORWARD (Portsmouth, VA); and America’s Tall Ship - the Coast Guard Barque EAGLE (New London, CT). He is the 14th Gold Ancient Mariner of the Coast Guard – an honorary position held by an officer with over ten years of cumulative sea duty who has held the qualification as a Cutterman longer than any other officer. His shoreside assignments include: Chief of Staff of the Ninth Coast Guard District; Sector Commander and Captain of the Port of Detroit; Liaison Officer to U.S. Northern Command; Executive Assistant to the Assistant Commandant for Operations at Coast Guard Headquarters; Liaison Officer to the legacy U.S. Customs Service; and at the Pentagon on the Joint Staff (J-7). He also served as the afloat member of the training and streamlining implementation teams that were tasked with a budget-driven reorganization of operations, personnel, and support functions across the entire Coast Guard in the mid-1990’s. A native of Virginia Beach, VA, he holds a B.S. in Civil Engineering (U.S. Coast Guard Academy ‘82), a M.S. in Management (Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute ‘91), and a M.A. in National Security and Strategic Studies (U.S. Naval War College ‘97). Note: All the information contained in this document was obtained in its original form from the individual ships and units. Seattle Navy League 2017 Annual Sea Services Luncheon Rear Admiral Art McDonald, MSM, CD W. Tyson Commander, MARPAC Rear-Admiral Art McDonald assumed Command of Maritime Forces Pacific and of Joint Task Force Pacific on 22 July 2016. Immediately prior to assuming Maritime Forces Pacific Command, then-Commodore McDonald served as Director General Naval Force Development (DGNFD) from 2013 to 2016, overseeing planning and conduct of the largest peacetime renewal in RCN history. His previous Chief of Naval Staff experience included serving as Director Naval Requirements from 2012 to 2013 as well as a tour as Executive Secretary to the Chief of the Maritime Staff from 2005 until 2007. As a sea-going officer, he served in Her Majesty's Canadian Ships Vancouver (Bridge Watch Keeper (BWK), 1991- 1992), Montreal (BWK, 1992-1994), and Calgary (Above Water Warfare Officer (AWWO), 1994-1996; and Operations/Combat Officer (OpsO/CbtO), 1996-2000). During two six-month deployments in Calgary, he circumnavigated the globe in 1995 and participated in UN sanctions enforcement in both the Adriatic Sea (1995) and the Arabian Gulf (twice: 1995 and 1999). As the Canadian Fleet Pacific (CANFLTPAC) Weapons Officer 2001-2002, he oversaw the Fleet's exercise missile firing programme and he again deployed to the Arabian Gulf/Sea - this time as a Task Group Watch Officer in flagships Ottawa and Algonquin for Operation APOLLO (Roto 1), the Canadian contribution to the global war on terrorism. After next serving as Executive Officer (XO) in Regina 2003-2005, he then commanded HMCS Halifax 2007-2009. While commanding Halifax he was also double-hatted in 2008 as Chief-Staff-Officer Operations, Canadian Fleet Atlantic. Upon promotion to Capt(N) and while serving as Commander Fifth Maritime Operations Group (CMOG5) in 2010-2011, he led sea-based humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations as the Maritime Component Commander (MCC) of Canadian Joint Task Force (Haiti) (CJTF(H)) in response to the devastating 2010 earthquake in Haiti. As CMOG5 he also commanded a seven ship combined, multi-national naval and coast guard Task Group in the High Arctic in 2010's Operation NANOOK. A Bluenoser born in New Waterford, Cape Breton, Rear-Admiral McDonald is a 1990 graduate of the Royal Military College (RMC) of Canada who holds a Bachelor's Degree in Military and Strategic Studies and a Masters of Defence Studies Degree. He is also a 2003 graduate of the Canadian Forces College (CFC) Command and Staff Course and a 2012 graduate of the National Security Programme (NSP). Note: All the information contained in this document was obtained in its original form from the individual ships and units.