William J. Fallon

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William J. Fallon bigraphy, stories - United States admiral

William J. Fallon : biography

30 December 1944 –

William Joseph Fallon (born December 30, 1944) is a retired United States Navy four-star admiral who retired after serving for over 41 years. His last military assignment was as Commander, U.S. Central Command from March 2007 to March 2008. ADM Fallon was the first Navy officer to hold that position. His other four-star assignments include Commander, U.S. Pacific Command from February 2005 to March 2007, Commander, U.S. Fleet Forces Command from October 2003 to February 2005, and 31st Vice Chief of Naval Operations from October 2000 to August 2003. On March 11, 2008, he announced his resignation from CENTCOM and retirement from active duty, citing administrative complications caused in part by an article in Esquire Magazine, which described him as the only thing standing between the Bush Administration and war with Iran.

Notes

Ranks and promotions

Villanova University, NROTC, Midshipman – Class of 1967
Ensign Lieutenant, Junior Grade Lieutenant Lieutenant Commander Commander Captain
O-1 O-2 O-3 O-4 O-5 O-6
May 15, 1967 (date of rank from June 7) July 1, 1968 July 1, 1970 July 1, 1976 April 1, 1982 September 1, 1988
Rear Admiral (lower half) Rear Admiral (upper half) Vice Admiral Admiral
O-7 O-8 O-9 O-10
October 1, 1994 Temporary from August 23, 1993 until date of promotion. January 1, 1997 September 20, 1998 November 1, 2000 Temporary from October 6 until date of promotion.

Early life and education

Fallon was born in East Orange, New Jersey and raised in Merchantville, New Jersey. He earned a diploma from Camden Catholic High School in Cherry Hill, New Jersey. A 1967 graduate of Villanova University, he received his commission through the Navy ROTC Program and was designated a Naval Flight Officer upon completion of flight training in December 1967.

Fallon is a graduate of the Naval War College, Newport, Rhode Island, and the National War College in Washington, D.C. He holds a Master of Arts Degree in International Studies from Old Dominion University. Admiral Fallon was awarded the Naval War College Distinguished Graduate Leadership Award in 2001 and granted an honorary Doctor of Military Science degree by his alma mater, Villanova University, on May 17, 2009.http://www.villanova.edu/president/commencement/speaker.htm

Post service life

Fallon joined the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Center for International Studies as a Robert Wilhelm Fellow for nine months, starting August 2008. He will collaborate with the MIT community in research, seminars, conferences and other intellectual projects.

Fallon was the commencement speaker at the 2009 commencement ceremonies at his alma mater, Villanova University. He also was the 2009 commencement speaker for the University of California, San Diego’s Graduate School of International Relations and Pacific Studies.

Starting in June 2009, Admiral Fallon served as co-chair of the Center for Strategic & International Studies Commission on Smart Global Health Policy alongside the President and CEO of CARE, Helene D. Gayle where he discussed his experiences with the security dimensions of global health. Admiral Fallon contributed in multiple conferences and policy discussions and attended a summer tour of Kenya that included the Kibera slums. At a global health event in the North Carolina Research Triangle, Admiral Fallon gave the keynote address:

I spent more than 40 years of my life serving in the U.S. Navy, serving around the world, as well as Commander of both U.S. Pacific Command and U.S. Central Command. When I was a student at the U.S. Naval War College, security was defined in very traditional terms. It was the business of competing sovereign state actors with defined borders who pursue hard national interests.