# Brian Fort

Brian Patrick Fort (born 1966) is a retired United States Navy rear admiral and surface warfare officer who last served as the 35th commander of the United States Naval Forces Japan and commander of Navy Region Japan from July 10, 2019 to July 14, 2021. As CNFJ/CNRJ, Fort was responsible for providing shore readiness to U.S. naval forces in Japan and maritime support to the American forward presence in Japan as well as cooperation with the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force to promote regional stability and deter aggression. He previously served as commander of Navy Region Hawaii and Naval Surface Group Middle Pacific from August 2017 to June 2019, with tours as commodore of Destroyer Squadron 26 from June 2013 to June 2015 and commanding officer of USS Gonzalez (DDG-66) from February 2008 to August 2009.
In March 2021, Carl Lahti, former commandant of Naval District Washington was assigned to succeed Fort as commander of United States Naval Forces Japan and Navy Region Japan. The change of command ceremony took place on July 14, 2021, with Fort retiring from active duty after 32 years of distinguished service.

## Early life and education

Raised in Little Rock, Arkansas, Fort received his commission via Officer Candidate School in 1990. He earned a master's degree from the Naval War College in National Security and Strategic Studies and is also a graduate of the Joint Forces Staff College.

## USS Fitzgerald collision investigation

Fort was selected to lead the U.S. Navy's investigation into the collision of the USS Fitzgerald (DDG-62) with a civilian merchant ship in June 2017. The sudden assignment resulted in the cancellation of the planned Navy Region Hawaii change of command ceremony with John V. Fuller, who assumed command forgoing the ceremony.

## Awards and decorations

Surface Warfare Officer Pin :
| Navy Distinguished Service Medal | Navy Distinguished Service Medal | Legion of Merit with three award stars | Legion of Merit with three award stars | Defense Meritorious Service Medal | Defense Meritorious Service Medal |
| Meritorious Service Medal with two award stars | Meritorious Service Medal with two award stars | Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with four award stars | Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with four award stars | Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal | Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal |
| Joint Meritorious Unit Award | Joint Meritorious Unit Award | Navy Unit Commendation with bronze service star | Navy Unit Commendation with bronze service star | Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation with bronze service star | Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation with bronze service star |
| Coast Guard Meritorious Unit Commendation | Coast Guard Meritorious Unit Commendation | Navy "E" Ribbon, 4th award | Navy "E" Ribbon, 4th award | National Defense Service Medal with bronze service star | National Defense Service Medal with bronze service star |
| Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal | Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal | Southwest Asia Service Medal with bronze service star | Southwest Asia Service Medal with bronze 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 | Armed Forces Service Medal | Armed Forces Service Medal | Navy Sea Service Deployment Ribbon with four bronze service stars | Navy Sea Service Deployment Ribbon with four bronze service stars |
| Navy and Marine Corps Overseas Service Ribbon with bronze service star | Navy and Marine Corps Overseas Service Ribbon with bronze service star | Special Operations Service Ribbon | Special Operations Service Ribbon | NATO Medal for the former Yugoslavia | NATO Medal for the former Yugoslavia |
| NATO Medal Ribbon (non-Article 5 version) | NATO Medal Ribbon (non-Article 5 version) | Order of the Rising Sun, 2nd Class | Order of the Rising Sun, 2nd Class | Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait) | Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait) |
| Command at Sea insignia ||||||
| Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Identification Badge ||||||