Tim Giardina is a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, Class of 1979. He is a graduate of CAPSTONE, PINNACLE, and numerous Navy business and joint warfighting courses, and holds an advanced degree in Business Administration.

Giardina’s shore assignments included duty as senior member of the Tactical Readiness Evaluation Team and Combat Systems Training Team on the Staff of Commander, Submarine Force, U. S. Atlantic Fleet. He served as Deputy Director of Future Operations (J35) on the staff of U. S. Joint Forces Command as Submarine Junior Officer detailer at Naval Personnel Command, and as a member of the Nuclear Propulsion Examining Board on the staff of the Commander, U. S. Atlantic Fleet.

As a career submarine officer, Giardina has served on both fast attack and ballistic missile submarines in both the Pacific and Atlantic Fleets including command of USS Kentucky (SSBN-737) (Gold), and duty in USS Hyman G. Rickover (SSN-709) as Executive Officer. He commanded Submarine Squadron 17 in Bangor, WA, which included 10 Trident submarines, from July 2001 to July 2003. Following that assignment, Captain Giardina was Chief of staff, U.S. 7th Fleet in Yokosuka, Japan. While assigned to 7th Fleet, he was assigned additional duties as Deputy Commander and Chief of Staff for Joint Task Force 515 in support of the Global War on Terrorism.

Following selection for flag rank in 2005, Giardina served as Director of Information, Plans and Security, and Director of Current Operations (N31) on the Navy Staff until October 2007, and later as Deputy Chief of Staff for Readiness and Training at U. S. Fleet Forces Command in Norfolk, VA.

His next assignment was serving as Deputy Commander and Chief of Staff, United States Pacific Fleet. That was followed by a command assignment as Commander, Submarine Group Trident, Submarine Group Nine, and Submarine Group 10 where he was responsible for all 18 U.S. Trident Submarines.

In December 2011, Giardina was promoted to Vice Admiral and assumed duties as Deputy Commander of United States Strategic Command, the organization that oversees all U.S. Nuclear Forces. On 3 September 2013, Giardina was suspended from his duties in his current assignment. He is under investigation in a gambling matter.

VADM Giardina was reduced in rank to Rear Admiral as a consequence of being removed from his position at U.S. Strategic Command. Giardina has been reassigned to the Navy staff pending the outcome of a Naval Criminal Investigative Service probe of allegations that he used counterfeit gambling chips at a casino in Iowa, not far from his base in eastern Nebraska. The removal of such a high-ranking commander of nuclear forces is extremely rare in the U.S. military.

Medals, Awards and Badges

Navy Distinguished Service Medal
Legion of Merit (6 Awards)
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal (2 Awards)
Joint Service Commendation Medal (2 Awards)
Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (4 Awards)
Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (3 Awards)
Submarine Warfare Officer Badge
SSBN Deterrent Patrol Badge