Stuart Benjamin Munsch (born 1962) is a

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the naval warfare, maritime military branch, service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is the world's most powerful navy with the largest Displacement (ship), displacement, at 4.5 millio ...

admiral Admiral is one of the highest ranks in many navies. In the Commonwealth nations and the United States, a "full" admiral is equivalent to a "full" general in the army or the air force. Admiral is ranked above vice admiral and below admiral of ...

who serves as the commander of United States Naval Forces Europe-Africa and commander of

Allied Joint Force Command Naples The Joint Force Command Naples (JFC Naples) is a NATO military command based in Lago Patria, in the Metropolitan City of Naples, Italy. It was activated on 15 March 2004, after effectively redesigning its predecessor command, Allied Forces Southe ...

since 27 June 2022. He most recently served as the director for joint force development, J7, of the

Joint Staff The Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) is the body of the most senior uniformed leaders within the United States Department of Defense, which advises the president of the United States, the United States Secretary of Defense, secretary of defense, ...

from 2020 to 2022. Munsch is also the Navy's

Old Goat In United States Naval Academy terminology, the Old Goat is the longest-serving Naval Academy graduate on active duty. Since 2014, the designation has been accompanied by an award created by a previous Old Goat, Rear Admiral Alton L. Stocks. ...

, the longest serving United States Naval Academy graduate on active duty, having received the title and accompanying

decanter A decanter is a vessel that is used to hold the decantation of a liquid (such as wine) which may contain sediment. Decanters, which have a varied shape and design, have been traditionally made from glass or crystal. Their volume is usually equiv ...

from

John C. Aquilino John Christopher Aquilino (born 1961) is a retired United States Navy admiral who last served as the commander of United States Indo-Pacific Command from 2021 to 2024. He previously served as the commander of the United States Pacific Fleet and be ...

on 26 June 2024.

Early life and education

Munsch, a native of Oakes, North Dakota, graduated from the Naval Academy in 1985 with a Bachelor of Science in electrical engineering. At the

United States Naval Academy The United States Naval Academy (USNA, Navy, or Annapolis) is a United States Service academies, federal service academy in Annapolis, Maryland. It was established on 10 October 1845 during the tenure of George Bancroft as United States Secre ...

, he was brigade commander of the Class of 1985 and was an All-American and national champion pistol shooter. Selected for a

Rhodes Scholarship The Rhodes Scholarship is an international postgraduate award for students to study at the University of Oxford in Oxford, United Kingdom. The scholarship is open to people from all backgrounds around the world. Established in 1902, it is ...

, he attended

Oxford University The University of Oxford is a collegiate research university in Oxford, England. There is evidence of teaching as early as 1096, making it the oldest university in the English-speaking world and the second-oldest continuously operating u ...

and earned a Bachelor of Arts and a Master of Arts in philosophy, politics and economics.

Naval career

Munsch was assigned to four consecutive sea duty assignments, serving on , , on the staff of commander, Cruiser Destroyer Group 5, and . In 1999, Munsch reported ashore to

U.S. Pacific Command The United States Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM) is the unified combatant command of the United States Armed Forces responsible for the Indo-Pacific region. It is the oldest and largest of the unified combatant commands. Its commander, ...

, where he served in the Plans and Policy Directorate (J5) prior to becoming deputy executive assistant to the commander. He then was selected for a White House Fellowship and served as special assistant to the

Secretary of Agriculture The United States secretary of agriculture is the head of the United States Department of Agriculture. The position carries similar responsibilities to those of agriculture ministers in other governments The department includes several organiz ...

. Munsch commanded from 2002 to 2005, followed by duty in the Pentagon as the military assistant to the Deputy Secretary of Defense and then as executive assistant to the director, submarine warfare, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations (OPNAV N87). Munsch commanded Submarine Development Squadron (DEVRON) 5 from 2008 to 2010 and then returned to the Pentagon to head the Navy Strategy branch (OPNAV N513). Selected for flag rank, he was reassigned as deputy director, undersea warfare (OPNAV N97). Sent overseas to Japan and Bahrain, Munsch commanded Submarine Group 7 and Task Forces 74 and 54 from 2013 to 2015, followed by duty in the Pentagon as the senior military assistant to the

Deputy Secretary of Defense The deputy secretary of defense (acronym: DepSecDef) is a statutory office () and the second-highest-ranking official in the Department of Defense of the United States of America. The deputy secretary is the principal civilian deputy to the s ...

. In 2017 Munsch reported to OPNAV N3/N5 as the assistant and in 2018 became the deputy chief of naval operations for operations, plans and strategy. In 2019 he established and served as the initial deputy chief of naval operations for warfighting development, N7. He assumed his role as director for joint force development (J7) in 2020.

Awards and decorations

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Munsch, Stuart B. Living people Place of birth missing (living people) Recipients of the Defense Distinguished Service Medal Recipients of the Defense Superior Service Medal Recipients of the Legion of Merit Recipients of the Navy Distinguished Service Medal 1962 births