Scott Harbison Swift (born December 1, 1957) is a retired admiral in the

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...

, serving as the commander of the

U.S. Pacific Fleet The United States Pacific Fleet (USPACFLT) is a theater-level component command of the United States Navy, located in the Pacific Ocean. It provides naval forces to the Indo-Pacific Command. Fleet headquarters is at Joint Base Pearl Harbor� ...

from May 27, 2015 to May 17, 2018. He previously served as the director of Navy Staff in the office of the Chief of Naval Operations.

Naval career

Swift attended

San Diego State University San Diego State University (SDSU) is a public research university in San Diego, California. Founded in 1897 as San Diego Normal School, it is the third-oldest university and southernmost in the 23-member California State University (CSU) syste ...

and received his commission in 1979 through the Aviation Reserve Officer Candidate (AVROC) program. He received his master's degree from the

Naval War College The Naval War College (NWC or NAVWARCOL) is the staff college and "Home of Thought" for the United States Navy at Naval Station Newport in Newport, Rhode Island. The NWC educates and develops leaders, supports defining the future Navy and associ ...

Newport, Rhode Island Newport is an American seaside city on Aquidneck Island in Newport County, Rhode Island. It is located in Narragansett Bay, approximately southeast of Providence, south of Fall River, Massachusetts, south of Boston, and northeast of New ...

. His operational assignments included Attack Squadron 94 (VA-94); Attack Squadron 97 (VA-97); Attack Squadron 122 (VA-122); Carrier Air Wing 11 (CVW-11) staff; commanding officer, Strike Fighter Squadron 97 (VFA-97); commanding officer, Strike Fighter Squadron 122 (VFA-122); commander, Carrier Air Wing 14; deputy commander, U.S. Naval Forces Central Command and U.S. 5th Fleet; commander, Carrier Strike Group 9; and commander, U.S. 7th Fleet. During those tours, he participated in combat Operations Praying Mantis, Southern Watch, Enduring Freedom, and Iraqi Freedom. He became director of the Navy Staff in September 2013. His shore tour assignments included the Naval War College; commanding officer, Strike Fighter Weapons School, Pacific; F/A-18 requirements officer on the OPNAV staff; Office of the Undersecretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics staff; and director of operations, U.S. Pacific Command. Swift has been recognized as the Naval Air Forces, U.S. Pacific Fleet landing signal officer of the Year, and was presented the Commander Michael G. Hoff Award as the U.S. Pacific Fleet attack aviator of the year. He was nominated for promotion to admiral on November 20, 2014 to assume the command of the

United States Pacific Fleet The United States Pacific Fleet (USPACFLT) is a theater-level component command of the United States Navy, located in the Pacific Ocean. It provides naval forces to the Indo-Pacific Command. Fleet headquarters is at Joint Base Pearl Harbor� ...

and was confirmed by the

United States Senate The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States. The composition and ...

on December 11, 2014. He took over from Admiral

Harry B. Harris Jr. Harry Binkley Harris Jr. (born August 4, 1956) is a retired American diplomat and retired U.S. Navy officer. He was the first Japanese Americans, American of Japanese descent to lead US Pacific Command in the U.S. Navy and was the highest-ranking ...

in a ceremony on May 27, 2015. In December 2015, Swift warned of a possible

South China Sea The South China Sea is a marginal sea of the Western Pacific Ocean. It is bounded in the north by the shores of South China (hence the name), in the west by the Indochinese Peninsula, in the east by the islands of Taiwan and northwestern Phil ...

arms race increase. On March 1, 2017, Swift received the

Gray Eagle Award The Gray Eagle Award is presented to the Naval Aviator on continuous active duty in U.S. Navy or Marine Corps who has held that designation for the longest period of time. A similar trophy, the Gray Owl Award, is also presented to the Naval Flight ...

as the

Naval Aviator Naval aviation is the application of military air power by navies, whether from warships that embark aircraft, or land bases. Naval aviation is typically projected to a position nearer the target by way of an aircraft carrier. Carrier-base ...

on continuous active duty in U.S. Navy or Marine Corps who has held that designation for the longest period of time. During the July 2017

Exercise Talisman Saber Exercise Talisman Sabre (also formerly spelled Talisman Saber, the US English alternative title) is a biennial, multinational military exercise led by Australia and the United States. Talisman Sabre involves joint exercises performed by the Austr ...

, an audience member at

Australian National University The Australian National University (ANU) is a public research university located in Canberra, the capital of Australia. Its main campus in Acton encompasses seven teaching and research colleges, in addition to several national academies and ...

asked Swift if he would carry out any order from President

Donald Trump Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who served as the 45th president of the United States from 2017 to 2021. Trump graduated from the Wharton School of the University of ...

to launch a nuclear strike on China, to which Swift replied yes. On September 25, 2017, Swift announced that he would retire after he was notified by then- Chief of Naval Operations, Adm. John Richardson, that Swift would not be nominated to take over leadership of the

United States Indo-Pacific Command United States Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM) is a unified combatant command of the United States Armed Forces responsible for the Indo-Pacific region. Formerly known as United States Pacific Command (USPACOM) since its inception in 1947, t ...

, the inter-branch theater command for the Pacific region. Swift is among several flag officers to be removed or announce an early retirement following a series of deadly accidents involving Navy vessels in the Pacific Fleet in 2017. Admiral Swift was relieved by Admiral

John C. Aquilino John Christopher Aquilino (born 1961) is an admiral in the United States Navy, serving as the commander of the United States Indo-Pacific Command since April 30, 2021. He previously served as the commander of the United States Pacific Fleet and ...

and officially retired from the Navy on May 17, 2018.U.S. Pacific Fleet conducts change of command
Retrieved 19th May, 2018

Awards and decorations

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Swift, Scott H. 1957 births Living people Recipients of the Air Medal Recipients of the Defense Superior Service Medal Recipients of the Legion of Merit Recipients of the Navy Distinguished Service Medal San Diego State University alumni United States Navy admirals United States Naval Academy alumni United States Naval Aviators Recipients of the Meritorious Service Medal (United States)