U.S. President Joe Biden announced that he has selected Admiral Lisa Franchetti to be the Navy’s top officer. If confirmed, she would be the first woman to lead the Navy and the first woman in the joint chiefs of staff.
“As our next Chief of Naval Operations, Admiral Lisa Franchetti will bring 38 years of dedicated service to our nation as a commissioned officer, including in her current role of Vice Chief of Naval Operations,” Biden said in an announcement on Friday.
The president said that Admiral Franchetti has demonstrated extensive expertise in both the operational and policy arenas throughout her career. “She is the second woman ever to achieve the rank of four-star admiral in the United States Navy, and when confirmed, she will again make history as the first woman to serve as the Chief of Naval Operations and on the Joint Chiefs of Staff.”
Biden also announced that he was nominating Vice Adm. James Kilby, the deputy commander of US Fleet Forces Command, to be the next Vice Chief of Naval Operations, and nominating Adm. Samuel Paparo, commander of US Pacific Fleet, to lead US forces in the Pacific as the commander of Indo-Pacific Command.
U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin commended the nominations on Friday, saying each of the admirals will “ensure that our U.S. Navy and the joint force in the Indo-Pacific remain the finest military force that the world has ever known”.
Who is Lisa Franchetti?
Admiral Lisa Franchetti, who is currently serving as the vice chief of naval operations, was commissioned in 1985 through the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps Program at Northwestern University. She has also attended the Naval War College. She holds a master’s degree in organizational management from the University of Phoenix.
She has served as the commander of United States Naval Forces Korea, Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Warfighting Development, Director for Strategy, Plans, and Policy of the Joint Staff, and commander of the U.S. 6th Fleet, Naval Striking and Support Forces NATO, according to her official biography. She became the Vice Chief of Naval Operations in September 2022.
Military awards
Admiral Franchetti is the recipient of the Defense Distinguished Service Medal, Distinguished Service Medal, Defense Superior Service Medal (two awards), Legion of Merit (five awards), Meritorious Service Medal (five awards), Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (four awards), and the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (two awards).
