Michael Martin Gilday (born October 10, 1962) is a United States Navy officer who has served as the 32nd

chief of naval operations The chief of naval operations (CNO) is the professional head of the United States Navy. The position is a statutory office () held by an admiral who is a military adviser and deputy to the secretary of the Navy. In a separate capacity as a mem ...

since August 22, 2019. Gilday has commanded two

destroyers In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast, manoeuvrable, long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet, convoy or battle group and defend them against powerful short range attackers. They were originally developed in ...

, served as Director of the Joint Staff, commanded the Tenth Fleet/ Fleet Cyber Command, and led

Carrier Strike Group 8 Commander, Carrier Strike Group 8, abbreviated as CCSG-8 or COMCARSTRKGRU 8, is one of five U.S. Navy carrier strike groups currently assigned to the United States Fleet Forces Command. the group flagship is the ''Nimitz''-class aircraft carrier ...

Early life and education

Gilday was born in Lowell, Massachusetts, and is a 1985 graduate of the United States Naval Academy as a Surface Warfare Officer. He has also graduated with master's from the

Harvard Kennedy School The Harvard Kennedy School (HKS), officially the John F. Kennedy School of Government, is the school of public policy and government of Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The school offers master's degrees in public policy, public ...

and the

National War College The National War College (NWC) of the United States is a school in the National Defense University. It is housed in Roosevelt Hall on Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C., the third-oldest Army post still active. History The National War Col ...

Career

24th International Seapower Symposium 210916-N-BL637-1139

Gilday's previous tours include duty with , , as well as commanding the and and Destroyer Squadron 7. He also had staff assignments on the

Bureau of Naval Personnel The Bureau of Naval Personnel (BUPERS) in the United States Department of the Navy is similar to the human resources department of a corporation. The bureau provides administrative leadership and policy planning for the Office of the Chief of Na ...

, Chief of Naval Operation (Strategic Plans and Policy Directorate) and staff to the

vice chief of naval operations The vice chief of naval operations (VCNO) is the second highest-ranking commissioned United States Navy officer in the Department of the Navy and functions as the principal deputy of the chief of naval operations and by statute, the vice chief ...

. His joint assignments include Naval Aide to the President and executive assistant to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Gilday was awarded the Navy Commendation Medal with Valor for his actions aboard ''Princeton'' when the ship was damaged by an Iraqi mine during the Persian Gulf War. As a

flag officer A flag officer is a commissioned officer in a nation's armed forces senior enough to be entitled to fly a flag to mark the position from which the officer exercises command. The term is used differently in different countries: *In many countries ...

, Gilday served as Director of Operations for NATO's Joint Force Command in Lisbon and Director of Operations for

United States Cyber Command United States Cyber Command (USCYBERCOM) is one of the eleven unified combatant commands of the United States Department of Defense (DoD). It unifies the direction of cyberspace operations, strengthens DoD cyberspace capabilities, and integr ...

. He assumed the duties of Commander, Fleet Cyber Command and United States Tenth Fleet on July 14, 2016, was appointed Director of Operations for the

Joint Chiefs of Staff The Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) is the body of the most senior uniformed leaders within the United States Department of Defense, that advises the president of the United States, the secretary of defense, the Homeland Security Council and the ...

in May 2018, and became Director of the Joint Staff from March 1, 2019. On July 11, 2019, Gilday was nominated for appointment as the next

(CNO). On August 1, the United States Senate voted unanimously to award Gilday a fourth star following the Senate Armed Services Committee's recommendation that he succeed Admiral John M. Richardson as CNO in September 2019. On April 15, 2020, Gilday announced the Navy was considering reinstating

Brett Crozier Brett Elliott Crozier (born February 24, 1970) is a retired captain in the United States Navy. A United States Naval Academy graduate, he became a naval aviator, first flying helicopters and then switching to fighters. After completing naval nu ...

, earlier fired in relation to Crozier's controversial response to

coronavirus disease Coronavirus diseases are caused by viruses in the coronavirus subfamily, a group of related RNA viruses that cause diseases in mammals and birds. In humans and birds, the group of viruses cause respiratory tract infections that can range from ...

on the

aircraft carrier An aircraft carrier is a warship that serves as a seagoing airbase, equipped with a full-length flight deck and facilities for Carrier-based aircraft, carrying, arming, deploying, and recovering aircraft. Typically, it is the capital ship of a ...

. Gilday, and the acting United States secretary of the Navy,

James E. McPherson James Edwin McPherson (born January 20, 1953) is an American government official and retired United States Navy rear admiral. He served as the General Counsel of the Army from January 2, 2018, to March 24, 2020. He served as the United States U ...

recommended that Crozier be reinstated as Captain of the Roosevelt on April 25, 2020. On August 10, 2020, Gilday was running on the Washington Navy Yard base, where he lives, when he “fell ill”. Gilday was assisted by a passing Marine, and was taken to his physician. He underwent heart surgery for a pre-existing condition about two weeks later. He returned to work full-time on September 28.Report: CNO ‘fell ill,' had heart surgery last month

Navy Times ''Navy Times'' (ISSN 0028-1697) is an American newspaper published 26 times per year serving active, reserve and retired United States Navy personnel and their families, providing news, information, analysis, community lifestyle features, educa ...

, 2020-09-30.

Awards and decorations

References

External links

*
Response to the fire aboard
the , - {{DEFAULTSORT:Gilday, Michael United States Navy personnel of the Gulf War Harvard Kennedy School alumni Living people National War College alumni Military personnel from Massachusetts Recipients of the Defense Superior Service Medal Recipients of the Legion of Merit Recipients of the Navy Distinguished Service Medal United States Naval Academy alumni United States Navy admirals 1962 births People from Lowell, Massachusetts Chiefs of Naval Operations