Alfred von Tirpitz
After returning to Germany in 1900, Müller served on shore before becoming second gunnery officer of the pre-dreadnought battleship . An appointment to the staff of Admiral Prince Heinrich of Prussia proved to be the turning point to career success. After receiving high praise and assessments from his superiors, he was promoted to the rank of "Korvettenkapitän" in December 1908, and assigned to the "Reichsmarineamt" (Imperial Navy Office) in Berlin, where he impressed Grand Admiral Alfred von Tirpitz.