Vernon E. Clark

Admiral, U.S. Navy

Vernon E. Clark was born on 7 September 1944 in Sioux City, IA, and raised in the midwestern states of Nebraska, Missouri and Illinois. Clark graduated from Evangel College and earned a Master's Degree of Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Arkansas. He attended Officer Candidate School and received his commission as an Ensign in the U.S. Navy in August 1968.

Clark served aboard the destroyers USS John W. Weeks (DD-701) and USS Gearing (DD-710). As a Lieutenant, he commanded USS Grand Rapids (PG-98). He subsequently commanded USS McCloy (FF-1038), USS Spruance (DD-963), the Atlantic Fleet's Anti-Submarine Warfare Training Center, Destroyer Squadron Seventeen, and Destroyer Squadron Five. After being selected for flag rank, Clark commanded USS Carl Vinson Battle Group/Cruiser Destroyer Group Three, Second Fleet, and U.S. Atlantic Fleet.

Ashore, Clark first served as Special Assistant to the Director of the Systems Analysis Division in the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations. He later completed assignments as the Administrative Assistant to the Deputy Chief of Naval Operations (Surface Warfare) and as the Administrative Aide to the Vice Chief of Naval Operations. He served as Head of the Cruiser-Destroyer Combat Systems Requirements Section and Force Anti-Submarine Warfare Officer for the Commander, Naval Surface Force, U.S. Atlantic Fleet, and he directed the Joint Staff's Crisis Action Team for Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm.

Clark's first flag assignment was at the U.S. Transportation Command (TRANSCOM) where he was Director of Plans and Policy (J5) and Financial Management and Analysis (J8). While commanding the Carl Vinson Battle Group, he deployed to the Persian Gulf and later served as the Deputy Commander, Joint Task Force Southwest Asia. Admiral Clark has also served as the Deputy and Chief of Staff, U.S. Atlantic Fleet; the Director of Operations (J3) and subsequently Director of the Joint Staff.

On 1 November 1999, Clark was promoted to the four-star rank of Admiral and was appointed Commander in Chief, U.S. Atlantic Fleet (CINCLANTFLT), serving from 1999-2000.

Admiral Clark became the 27th Chief of Naval Operations on 21 July 2000, relieving Admiral Jay L. Johnson and serving until 2005. In 2001, Clark was considered to be on the "short list" of choices for Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; the eventual pick was Air Force Gen Richard Myers.

Medals and Awards

Defense Distinguished Service Medal (3 Awards)
Navy Distinguished Service Medal (2 Awards)
Legion of Merit (3 Awards)
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal (4 Awards)
Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal
Joint Meritorious Unit Award (2 Awards)
Navy Unit Commendation
Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation
Battle Efficiency Award (2 Awards)
National Defense Service Medal (3 Awards)
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
Vietnam Service Medal (2 Campaigns)
Southwest Asia Service Medal (1 Campaign)
Sea Service Deployment Ribbon (6 Awards)
Navy and Marine Corps Overseas Service Ribbon

Honors

Clark has been honored with the Eisenhower Award from the Business Executives for National Security.

He is the recipient of the Distinguished Sea Service Award from the Naval Order of the U.S.

In Retirement

Admiral Clark now serves on the Board of Directors of Raytheon Company, Rolls Royce North America, SRI International, Horizon Lines, the Armed Forces YMCA, and is on the World Board of Governors of the USO. He serves as a senior advisor with Booz Allen Hamilton, the Defense Policy Board, the advisory boards of Fleishman-Hillard, Computer Science Corporation, the Comptroller General's Advisory Board of the GAO, and the Executive Committee of Military Ministry. Clark was elected to the board of directors of Raytheon in December 2005 and the board of directors of SRI International in March 2007.

In addition, he is currently a distinguished professor at Regent University in Virginia Beach, VA. Clark teaches in the Robertson School of Government and the School of Global Leadership & Entrepreneurship and is a member of the Regent's Board of Trustees. He is also a member of the Board of Visitors at Air University.