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| Samuel Paparo | |
|---|---|
.jpg) | |
| Born | 1964 (age 59–60) Morton, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Branch | United States Navy |
| Years of service | 1987–present |
| Rank | Admiral |
| Commands | |
| Battles / wars | |
| Awards | |
| Alma mater | |
Samuel John Paparo Jr. (born 1964) is a United States Navy admiral who has served as the commander of United States Indo-Pacific Command since 3 May 2024. He most recently served as commander of the United States Pacific Fleet from 2021 to 2024.
Early life and education
Samuel John Paparo Jr. was born in 1964, and is a native of Morton, Pennsylvania. He is the son of a former enlisted Marine and the grandson of a World War II enlisted sailor. As a youth, Paparo attended Cardinal O'Hara High School. A graduate of Villanova University in 1987, he was commissioned via the Aviation Officer Candidate School (AOCS) program at Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida, also in 1987. He is a graduate of Navy's Strike training pipeline (i.e., carrier-based tactical jet) as a Naval Aviator and was later designated as a Strike Fighter Tactics Instructor (SFTI) as a graduate of the United States Navy Fighter Weapons School ("TOPGUN").
Paparo earned an M.A. degree in International Studies from Old Dominion University and an M.S. degree in Systems Analysis from the Naval Postgraduate School. He also graduated from the Air Command and Staff College, the Air War College, the Naval War College and the Joint and Combined Warfighting School of the Joint Forces Staff College.
Career
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Paparo's training qualified him as a naval aviator on the F-14, USAF F-15 and F/A-18 airframes; as of October 2020, he has flown more than 6,000 hours in those aircraft, and had made more than 1,100 landings on aircraft carriers. Paparo served with the U.S. Navy's Carrier Air Wing 7 (CVW-7) as deputy air wing commander from October 2009 through August 2011, embarked aboard USS Dwight D. Eisenhower. The air wing, composed of eight squadrons, included "F/A-18C/E/F Hornets and Super Hornets, E-2C Hawkeye airborne command and control aircraft, EA-6B Prowler electronic warfare aircraft, SH-60F/HH-60H Seahawk helicopters, and C-2A Greyhound logistics aircraft", with 1,500 enlisted personnel and officers assigned. He subsequently took command of CVW-7 in August 2011, relieving Captain Roy J. Kelley, a position he remained in until December 2012.
Paparo then went on to command Carrier Strike Group 10 (CSG-10) from July 2017, until March 2018, a group comprising the aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower, a carrier air wing (CVW 3, which included substantial fixed and rotary wing airframes and personnel, including early warning and electronic attack units), and guided missile cruisers USS San Jacinto, USS Vella Gulf, and USS Monterey, and Destroyer Squadron (DESRON, with its guided missile destroyers USS Stout, USS Oscar Austin, and USS McFaul). In addition to a variuety of global training and exercise events, Paparo's forces provided intensive support for "Defense Support to Civilian Authorities (DSCA) operations", following Hurricane Irma's impact on the Florida keys in September 2017 (overseeing a task force of multiple units that cleared roads, and restored boat ramp and flight operations at Naval Air Station Key West, and electrical, water, and air conditioning services to vital military and civilian buildings in coordination with the Florida National Guard and FEMA).
After being elevated to the rank of U.S. Navy Vice Admiral, Paparo served as commander of the United States Fifth Fleet, headquartered in Bahrain, overseeing "all U.S. naval forces stationed throughout the Middle East", including coordination of the 33-country international naval coalition that "oversees safety of those waters and supports operations in Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan". In addition, he served as director of operations of the United States Central Command out of MacDill Air Force Base, Florida. and went on to command the Combined Maritime Forces.
As of 5 May 2021, he had been elevated to the rank of four-star admiral in the United States Navy, and was serving as the 64th commander of the United States Pacific Fleet (succeeding Admiral John C. Aquilino).
In July 2023, Paparo was nominated for reappointment to the grade of admiral and assignment as the commander of United States Indo-Pacific Command. Adm. Samuel J. Paparo assumed command of United States Indo-Pacific Command from Adm. John C. Aquilino during a change of command ceremony 3 May 2024.
Awards and decorations
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Naval Aviator insignia |
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Command at Sea insignia |
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References
This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Government. This information is indicated by inline citation to make clear that this was its source.
- "Paparo to pass command of VFA-106 to Dwyer". Norfolk Navy Flagship. 4 June 2009. Retrieved 4 May 2024.
- "U.S. Indo-Pacific Command Holds Change of Command Ceremony". U.S. Indo-Pacific Command. Pearl Harbor, Hawaii: U.S. Indo-Pacific Command Public Affairs. 3 May 2024. Retrieved 4 May 2024. This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Government.
- "Paparo takes helm as U.S. Pacific Fleet commander". U.S. Pacific Fleet. U.S. Pacific Fleet Public Affairs. 5 May 2021. Archived from the original on 7 October 2021. Retrieved 5 May 2021.
- BNP Staff (1 October 1990). Register of Commissioned and Warrant Officers of the United States Navy on Active Duty. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of the Navy, Bureau of Naval Personnel. p. 151. Retrieved 21 July 2023.
- Selzer, Spc. Henry (28 August 2007). "Nuristan PRT celebrates Afghan Independence Day". Defense Visual Information Distribution Service (DVIDS, dvidshub.net). Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Defense. Retrieved 21 July 2023.
- ^ DVIDS Staff (29 March 2018). "CSG-10 Bids Farewell to Rear Adm. Paparo, Welcomes Rear Adm. Meier during Change of Command". Defense Visual Information Distribution Service (DVIDS, dvidshub.net). Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Defense. Retrieved 21 July 2023.
- ^ Bjorkgren, David (6 October 2020). "Cardinal O'Hara Grad Takes Over U.S. Navy Middle Eastern Fleet". DelCo.Today. Delaware County, PA: American Community Journals. Retrieved 21 July 2023.
- "Admiral Samuel Paparo". www.navy.mil.
- "U.S. Naval Forces Central Command > Leadership > Commander". www.cusnc.navy.mil.
- "CMF Leadership". Combined Maritime Forces (CMF). 17 September 2010.
- ^ WVEC Staff (3 August 2011). "New leader for Carrier Air Wing 7". 13newsnow.com. Norfolk, Virginia: WVEC-TV. Retrieved 21 July 2023.
- Affairs, SN Brian Wilbur, USS Dwight D. Eisenhower Public (6 December 2012). "CVW-7 holds change of command". Military News.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - Affairs, This story was written by Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group Public. "CSG-10 Bids Farewell to Rear Adm. Malloy, Welcomes Rear Adm. Paparo during Change of Command". Retrieved 1 February 2018.
- "VADM Malloy hands over to VADM Paparo in Change of Command ceremony". Combined Maritime Forces (CMF). 19 August 2020.
- "NAVCENT, U.S. Fifth Fleet, CMF Change of Command". U.S. Naval Forces Central Command.
- U.S. Pacific Fleet Public Affairs (5 May 2021). "Paparo takes helm as U.S. Pacific Fleet commander". Retrieved 5 May 2021.
- "Flag Officer Announcements". U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE.
- "PN885 — Adm. Samuel J. Paparo Jr. — Navy, 118th Congress (2023-2024)". U.S. Congress. 25 July 2023. Retrieved 26 July 2023.
- "Flag Officer Announcements". U.S. Department of Defense. 27 July 2023. Retrieved 28 July 2023.
- "U.S. Indo-Pacific Command Holds Change of Command Ceremony". 23 May 2024. Retrieved 5 May 2023.
- "Commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet Change of Command [Image 8 of 11]". DVIDS. 4 April 2024. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
- "USINDOPACOM Change of Command [Image 10 of 20]". DVIDS. 3 May 2024. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
| Military offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded byRoy Kelley | Commander of Carrier Air Wing 7 2011–2012 |
Succeeded byTerry Morris |
| Preceded byJames J. Malloy | Commander of Carrier Strike Group 10 2017–2018 |
Succeeded byJohn F. Meier |
| Preceded byScott Stearney | Director of Operations of United States Central Command 2018–2020 |
Succeeded byAlexus Grynkewich |
| Preceded byJames J. Malloy | Commander of the United States Naval Forces Central Command and United States Fifth Fleet 2020–2021 |
Succeeded byCharles Cooper II |
| Preceded byJohn C. Aquilino | Commander of the United States Pacific Fleet 2021–2024 |
Succeeded byStephen Koehler |
| Commander of the United States Indo-Pacific Command 2024–present |
Incumbent | |
| U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial) | ||
| Preceded byGregory M. Guillotas Commander of U.S. Northern Command | Order of precedence of the United States as Commander of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command |
Succeeded byRandall Reedas Commander of U.S. Transportation Command |
| United States Regional Commanders | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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- 1964 births
- Living people
- Naval Postgraduate School alumni
- Old Dominion University alumni
- Recipients of the Defense Superior Service Medal
- Recipients of the Legion of Merit
- United States Naval Aviators
- United States Navy admirals
- United States Navy personnel of the Iraq War
- United States Navy personnel of the War in Afghanistan (2001–2021)
- Villanova University alumni