Charles A. Richard | |
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| Nickname | Chas |
| Born | 1959 (age 66–67) Decatur, Alabama, U.S. |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Branch | United States Navy |
| Service years | 1982–2022 |
| Rank | Admiral |
| Commands | United States Strategic Command Submarine Forces Submarine Force Atlantic Allied Submarine Command Submarine Group 10 Submarine Squadron 17 Deep Submergence VesselNR-1 USS Parche (SSN-683) |
| Awards | Defense Distinguished Service Medal (2) Navy Distinguished Service Medal Defense Superior Service Medal (3) Legion of Merit (5) |
| Alma mater | University of Alabama (BS) Catholic University of America (MA) |
Charles Anthony "Chas" Richard (born 1959)[1] is a retiredUnited States Navyadmiral who served as the 11th commander ofUnited States Strategic Command. He previously served as Commander Submarine Forces, Submarine Force Atlantic and Allied Submarine Command.
Richard is a native ofDecatur, Alabama, and is a 1982 graduate with honors from theUniversity of Alabama. He has earned master's degrees with honors from theCatholic University of America and theNaval War College.
Richard's operational assignments included command ofUSS Parche (SSN-683) as well asSubmarine NR-1, then the United States Navy's only nuclear-powered, deep-submergence submarine. He also served aboardUSS Portsmouth (SSN-707),USS Asheville (SSN-758) andUSS Scranton (SSN-756).
Richard's staff assignments included service as the executive assistant and naval aide to theUnder Secretary of the Navy; chief of staff, Submarine Force Atlantic; and command ofSubmarine Squadron 17 inBangor, Washington. Other staff assignments include director of resources, Under Secretary of Defense (Policy); squadron engineer ofSubmarine Squadron 8 and duty on the Deputy Chief of Naval Operations (Submarine Warfare) staff. He has also served as a member of Chief of Naval Operations' Strategic Studies Group XXVIII, studying the integration of unmanned systems into naval force structure.
Flag officer assignments include command ofSubmarine Group 10 inKings Bay, Georgia; director of Undersea Warfare (OPNAV N97), Pentagon, and deputy commander, Joint Functional Component Command for Global Strike atUnited States Strategic Command.
As commander, Submarine Forces, Richard was the undersea domain lead, and was responsible for the submarine force's strategic vision. As commander, Submarine Force Atlantic, he commanded all Atlantic-based United States submarines, their crews and supporting shore activities. These responsibilities also included duties as Commander, Task Force (CTF) 144, CTF 84; commander, Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) Forces Western Atlantic; and CTF 46. As commander, Allied Submarine Command, he provided advice to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization Strategic Commanders on submarine related issues.
On October 15, 2019, Richard was nominated for promotion toadmiral and reassignment as the commanding officer of United States Strategic Command. He appeared for a hearing before theUnited States Senate Committee on Armed Services on October 24 and was confirmed by voice vote of the fullSenate on October 31. He took over from General Hyten on November 18, 2019.[2] In October 2021,Politico reported that Richard was among the candidates shortlisted to succeed Hyten asvice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.[3]
Richard retired from active duty on December 9, 2022.[4] As of 2024[update], he serves as a Senior Fellow at theJohns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory.[5]
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| OfficerSubmarine Warfare insignia | ||
| Defense Distinguished Service Medal w/ 1 bronzeoak leaf cluster | Navy Distinguished Service Medal | Defense Superior Service Medal w/ 2 oak leaf clusters |
| Legion of Merit w/ 4 goldaward stars | Defense Meritorious Service Medal | Meritorious Service Medal |
| Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal w/ 3 award stars | Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal w/ 2 award stars | Navy Presidential Unit Citation |
| Joint Meritorious Unit Award | Navy Unit Commendation | Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation |
| Navy "E" Ribbon with wreathedBattle E award | Navy Expeditionary Medal | National Defense Service Medal w/ 1 bronzeservice star |
| Navy Sea Service Deployment Ribbon w/ 2 service stars | Navy Arctic Service Ribbon | NATO Medal for the former Yugoslavia |
| OfficerDeep Submergence insignia | ||
| Command at Sea insignia | ||
| United States Strategic Command Badge | ||
This article incorporatespublic domain material fromAdmiral Charles A. 'Chas' Richard.United States Navy.
Media related toCharles A. Richard at Wikimedia Commons| Military offices | ||
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| Preceded by ??? | Deputy Commander ofJoint Functional Component Command for Global Strike 2012–2013 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Commander ofSubmarine Group 10 2013–2015 | Succeeded by |
| Director of Undersea Warfare ofUnited States Navy 2015–2016 | Succeeded by | |
| Preceded by | Deputy Commander of theUnited States Strategic Command 2016–2018 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Commander ofNaval Submarine Forces andSubmarine Force Atlantic 2018-2019 | Succeeded by |
| Commander of theAllied Submarine Command 2018-2019 | ||
| Preceded by | Commander of the United States Strategic Command 2019–2022 | Succeeded by |