Samuel J. Locklear
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Samuel J. Locklear III | |
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| Born | Script error: No such module "person date". Macon, Georgia, U.S. |
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| Allegiance | United States |
Branch | United States Navy |
Service years | 1972–2015 |
Rank | Admiral |
| Commands | United States Pacific Command United States Naval Forces Europe Allied Joint Force Command Naples United States Third Fleet Cruiser-Destroyer Group 5 and Nimitz Strike Group Destroyer Squadron 2 Template:USS |
Conflicts | Gulf War War in Afghanistan Iraq War Military intervention in Libya |
| Awards | Defense Distinguished Service Medal (2) Navy Distinguished Service Medal (2) Defense Superior Service Medal Legion of Merit (5) Bronze Star Medal Honorary Officer of the Order of Australia (Australia) |
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Samuel Jones "Sam" Locklear III (born October 28, 1954) is a retired United States Navy admiral who last served as the commander of the United States Pacific Command from March 9, 2012, to May 27, 2015. Prior to that, he served as Commander, United States Naval Forces Europe – United States Naval Forces Africa and NATO's Commander, Allied Joint Force Command Naples. Prior to that, he served as Director, Navy Staff from July 2009 to October 2010. He retired from the navy on July 1, 2015, after 39 years of service.
Early life and education
Locklear enlisted in the United States Navy in March 1972 at the age of 17. His basic training and active service was placed on hold when he was accepted into the United States Naval Academy after graduating from James F. Byrnes High School in 1972. Locklear graduated from the Naval Academy in 1977, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in operations analysis. He currently serves as a Senior Fellow at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory[1].
Naval career
After receiving his commission as an ensign, Locklear served aboard Template:USS as Main Propulsion Assistant and Missile Fire Control Officer. He was then selected for training and service in the Navy Nuclear Propulsion program, and served as Electrical Principal Assistant in Template:USS. Graduating with honors from the Surface Warfare Department Head School, he served as Operations Officer and Engineering Officer in Template:USS, and as Executive Officer in Template:USS. Subsequently, he commanded Template:USS and served as Commander, Destroyer Squadron 2 deploying with the Template:USS Battle Group. In October 2002, he assumed command of Cruiser-Destroyer Group 5 and Nimitz Strike Group deploying to the Persian Gulf in 2003 in direct support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom.
Ashore, Locklear has served as a Company Officer in the Office of the Commandant, United States Naval Academy and later as the 78th Commandant of Midshipmen. In Washington, D.C., he served as Chief of the Regional Engagement and Presence Joint Warfare Capabilities Assessment Branch in the Strategic Plans and Policy Directorate of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, as Executive Assistant to the Vice Chief of Naval Operations, and as Deputy Director for Requirements in the Assessment Division (N81D). In February 2004, he returned to the OPNAV Staff as Deputy Director for Surface Warfare (N76B), and in October 2004, he became the Director of the Assessment Division (N81). In October 2005 he became the Director of the Programming Division (N80). From May 2007 to July 2009, he served as Commander, United States Third Fleet and, from July 2009, as Director, Navy Staff (N09B).
Locklear is a 1992 graduate of the National Defense University's Industrial College of the Armed Forces, holds a Master of Public Administration degree from the George Washington University, and attended the Senior Officials in National Security course at the Maxwell School of Syracuse University.
Locklear's personal decorations include the Navy Distinguished Service Medal with gold star, Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit with four gold stars, Bronze Star Medal, Navy Meritorious Service Medal with three gold stars, Navy Commendation Medal with gold star, Navy Achievement Medal with gold star, and numerous unit and campaign awards.
In March 2011, Locklear commanded United States Navy forces enforcing the Libyan no-fly zone, with overall command going to General Carter Ham.
Locklear has called climate change (global warming) the biggest worry for the United States.[2][3] On April 9, 2013, Jim Inhofe, the ranking member of the Senate Committee on Armed Services, asked Locklear to clarify his position of climate change as the principal national security threat. Locklear cited USAID government statistics on recent Indo-Asian natural disasters and the long range planning challenges of our security partners and allies in the region.[4]
In 2015, Leonard Glenn Francis, the contractor at the center of the "Fat Leonard" navy corruption scandal, told Navy investigators that he paid for "opulent dinners and other favors" for Locklear. Although the Navy cleared Locklear of wrongdoing, the episode prevented his appointment to Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, for which he had been shortlisted. Locklear retired from the navy in June 2015, a month after Joseph Dunford was appointed chairman instead.[5]
Personal
In the 2024 United States presidential election, Locklear endorsed Kamala Harris.[6]
Awards and decorations
| File:Surface Warfare Officer Insignia.png Surface Warfare Officer badge |
| File:United States Pacific Command.png United States Pacific Command badge |
References
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- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Senior Fellows | Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory". www.jhuapl.edu. Retrieved February 6, 2026.
- ^ Chief of US Pacific forces calls climate biggest worry March 9, 2013, Boston Globe
- ^ Navy Admiral Samuel J. Locklear says the biggest security threat in the Pacific region is climate change. March 12, 2013, Wall Street Journal
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."C-SPAN". c-spanvideo.org. C-SPAN. April 9, 2013. Retrieved August 9, 2016.
U.S. Pacific Command Operations Admiral Samuel Locklear testified on U.S. Pacific Command programs and operations. Much of the hearing was focused on mounting tensions between North and South Korea. Admiral Locklear said American defenses could intercept a ballistic missile launched by North Korea and forces were prepared for limited military action by North Korea. Other topics included the U.S. military posture in Asia Pacific, China's role with North Korea, and the impact of automatic defense cuts known as sequestration.
Span. Retrieved April 11, 2013. - ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Whitlock, Craig (April 1, 2018). "How 'Fat Leonard' affected Pentagon's pick to lead Joint Chiefs". Washington Post. Retrieved April 2, 2018.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."NSL4A Endorses Kamala Harris for President of the United States". National Security Leaders for America. Archived from the original on September 22, 2024. Retrieved January 25, 2025.
External links
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- Official biography Script error: No such module "webarchive". This work is in the public domain.
- Appearances on C-SPAN
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