# Charles Cooper II

Charles Bradford "Brad" Cooper II (born 1967) is a United States Navy vice admiral who has served as the deputy commander of United States Central Command since February 2024. He most recently served as commander of United States Naval Forces Central Command, Commander, United States Fifth Fleet and Commander, Combined Maritime Forces from 2021 to 2024. He previously served as Commander, Naval Surface Forces Atlantic and, before that, as the Chief of Legislative Affairs of the United States Navy.
Cooper attended Sidney Lanier High School in Montgomery, Alabama. He is a 1989 graduate of the United States Naval Academy. Cooper later earned a master's degree in strategic intelligence from the National Intelligence University. During his tenure as commander of Naval Forces Korea, Cooper was bestowed the Korean name Goo Tae-il by the ROK-US Alliance Friendship Association in honor of his service to the Korean peninsula.
In April 2023, Cooper was nominated for reappointment as vice admiral and assignment as the deputy commander of United States Central Command.

## Awards and decorations

Surface Warfare Officer Pin :
| Navy Distinguished Service Medal | Navy Distinguished Service Medal | Navy Distinguished Service Medal | Defense Superior Service Medal with one bronze oak leaf cluster | Defense Superior Service Medal with one bronze oak leaf cluster | Defense Superior Service Medal with one bronze oak leaf cluster |
| Legion of Merit with three gold award stars | Legion of Merit with three gold award stars | Bronze Star Medal | Bronze Star Medal | Defense Meritorious Service Medal | Defense Meritorious Service Medal |
| Meritorious Service Medal with four award stars | Meritorious Service Medal with four award stars | Joint Service Commendation Medal | Joint Service Commendation Medal | Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with four award stars | Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with four award stars |
| Joint Service Achievement Medal | Joint Service Achievement Medal | Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal | Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal | Joint Meritorious Unit Award with two oak leaf clusters | Joint Meritorious Unit Award with two oak leaf clusters |
| Navy Unit Commendation | Navy Unit Commendation | Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation with one silver service star | Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation with one silver service star | Meritorious Team Commendation with Operational Distinguishing Device | Meritorious Team Commendation with Operational Distinguishing Device |
| Navy "E" Ribbon with wreathed Battle E device | Navy "E" Ribbon with wreathed Battle E device | National Defense Service Medal with service star | National Defense Service Medal with service star | Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal | Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal |
| Southwest Asia Service Medal with two service stars | Southwest Asia Service Medal with two service stars | Afghanistan Campaign Medal with service star | Afghanistan Campaign Medal with service star | Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal | Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal |
| Global War on Terrorism Service Medal | Global War on Terrorism Service Medal | Korea Defense Service Medal | Korea Defense Service Medal | Armed Forces Service Medal | Armed Forces Service Medal |
| Humanitarian Service Medal | Humanitarian Service Medal | Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal | Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal | Navy Sea Service Deployment Ribbon with silver service star | Navy Sea Service Deployment Ribbon with silver service star |
| Navy and Marine Corps Overseas Service Ribbon with three service stars | Navy and Marine Corps Overseas Service Ribbon with three service stars | Special Operations Service Ribbon | Special Operations Service Ribbon | Unidentified foreign award | Unidentified foreign award |
| Order of National Security Merit, Cheonsu Medal (Republic of Korea) | Order of National Security Merit, Cheonsu Medal (Republic of Korea) | NATO Medal for the former Yugoslavia | NATO Medal for the former Yugoslavia | Kuwait Liberation Medal (Saudi Arabia) | Kuwait Liberation Medal (Saudi Arabia) |
| Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait) | Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait) | Navy Expert Rifleman Medal | Navy Expert Rifleman Medal | Navy Expert Pistol Shot Medal | Navy Expert Pistol Shot Medal |
| Command at Sea insignia ||||||
| Office of the Secretary of Defense Identification Badge ||||||
| Presidential Service Badge ||||||