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Immediate Release

Flag Officer Assignments

The Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus and Chief of Naval Operations Adm. John M. Richardson announced today the following assignments:

Rear Adm. Kevin J. Kovacich will be assigned as director, plans and policy, J-5, U.S. Cyber Command, Fort Meade, Maryland.  Kovacich is currently serving as director for plans and programs, U.S. Africa Command, Stuttgart, Germany. 

Rear Adm. (lower half) Christian D. Becker, selected for promotion to rear admiral, will be assigned as commander, Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command, San Diego, California.  Becker is currently serving as program executive officer for command, control, communications and intelligence, Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command, San Diego, California.  

Rear Adm. (lower half) William J. Galinis, selected for promotion to rear admiral, will be assigned as program executive officer for ships, Washington, District of Columbia.  Galinis is currently serving as commander, Navy Regional Maintenance Center; and deputy commander, surface warfare, Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, District of Columbia.  

Rear Adm. (lower half) Bruce L. Gillingham, selected for promotion to rear admiral, will be assigned as deputy chief, medical operations, M3, Bureau of Medicine and Surgery, Falls Church, Virginia.  Gillingham is currently serving as commander, Navy Medicine West, San Diego, California.  

Rear Adm. (lower half) Roy J. Kelley, selected for promotion to rear admiral, will be assigned as director, Joint Strike Fighter fleet integration, Washington, District of Columbia.  Kelley is currently serving as commander, Carrier Strike Group 12, Norfolk, Virginia.  

Rear Adm. (lower half) Paul A. Sohl, selected for promotion to rear admiral, will be assigned as commander, Operational Test and Evaluation Force, Norfolk, Virginia.  Sohl is currently serving as commander, Fleet Readiness Centers, Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland.  

Rear Adm. (lower half) Mark R. Whitney, selected for promotion to rear admiral, will be assigned as fleet maintenance officer, U.S. Fleet Forces Command, Norfolk, Virginia.  Whitney is currently serving as deputy commander, logistics, maintenance, and industrial operations, SEA-04, Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, District of Columbia.  

Rear Adm. (lower half) John W. Ailes V will be assigned as director, Fleet Readiness Division, Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command, San Diego, California.  Ailes is currently serving as chief engineer, Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command, San Diego, California.  

Rear Adm. (lower half) Brian J. Brakke will be assigned as commander, Navy Expeditionary Combat Command, Virginia Beach, Virginia.  Brakke is currently serving as deputy director, operations and intelligence integration, Joint Improvised-Threat Defeat Agency, Washington, District of Columbia.

Rear Adm. (lower half) Richard A. Brown will be assigned as commander, Navy Personnel Command; and deputy chief of naval personnel, Millington, Tennessee.  Brown is currently serving as commander, Carrier Strike Group 11, Everett, Washington.

Rear Adm. (lower half) Ronald C. Copley will be assigned as director of intelligence, J-2, U.S. Strategic Command, Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska.  Copley is currently serving as deputy chief, tailored access operations, S32, National Security Agency, Fort Meade, Maryland. 

Rear Adm. (lower half) Hugh W. Howard will be assigned as assistant commander, Joint Special Operations Command, U.S. Special Operations Command, Fort Bragg, North Carolina.  Howard is currently serving as director of military operations and military deputy, National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, Springfield, Virginia. 

Rear Adm. (lower half) Yancy B. Lindsey will be assigned as commander, Navy Region Southwest, San Diego, California.  Lindsey is currently serving as commandant, Naval District Washington, Washington, District of Columbia. 

Capt. James P. Downey, selected for promotion to rear admiral (lower half), will be assigned as commander, Navy Regional Maintenance Center: and deputy commander, surface warfare, Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, District of Columbia.  Downey is currently serving as major program manager (DDG 1000 Program), Program Executive Officer for Ships, Washington, District of Columbia.
 
Capt. Francis D. Morley, selected for promotion to rear admiral (lower half), will be assigned as director, Navy International Programs Office, Office of the Secretary of the Navy, Washington, District of Columbia.  Morley is currently serving as major program manager (PMA-265), Program Executive Officer for Tactical Aircraft Programs, Patuxent River, Maryland.

Capt. Paul D. Pearigen, selected for promotion to rear admiral (lower half), will be assigned as commander, Navy Medicine West; and director of the Medical Corps, San Diego, California.  Pearigen is currently serving as liaison officer, Bureau of Medicine and Surgery, Defense Health Agency, Falls Church, Virginia.

Capt. Anne M. Swap, selected for promotion to rear admiral (lower half), will be assigned as commander, Navy Medicine East; and director of the Medical Service Corps, Portsmouth, Virginia.  Swap is currently serving as director, Medical Resources, Plans, and Policy Division, N0931, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, Washington, District of Columbia.

Capt. Michael W. Zarkowski, selected for promotion to rear admiral (lower half), will be assigned as commander, Fleet Readiness Centers, Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland.  Zarkowski is currently serving as commanding officer, Fleet Readiness Center, Mid-Atlantic, Patuxent River, Maryland.