Mark I . Fox Vice Admiral Mark Irby " MRT " Fox , USN ( born March 1 , 1956 ) is a United States Navy officer currently serving as the Deputy Commander of United States Central Command . Prior to assuming his duties at CENTCOM , he served as Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Operations , Plans , and Strategy ( N3 / N5 ) , Commander , U . S . Naval Forces Central Command ( COMUSNAVCENT ) and Commander , U . S . 5th Fleet ( COMFIFTHFLT ) . He also previously served as the Commander of the Naval Strike and Air Warfare Center ( NSAWC ) at Naval Air Station Fallon , Nevada , and as Communications Division Chief , American Embassy Annex , Baghdad , Iraq . In October 2006 , then - Rear Admiral Fox completed a tour as the Deputy Assistant to the President and Director of the White House Military Office ( WHMO ) , responsible for overseeing all military support to the President . He also served as WHMO Deputy Director for 18 months before assuming responsibilities as WHMO Director in January 2005 . Biography . A native of Abilene , Texas , Vice Admiral Fox was commissioned in June 1978 upon graduation from the U . S . Naval Academy and was designated a Naval Aviator in March 1980 . During his career , Vice Admiral Fox has deployed from both coasts in five fleet tours , flying the A - 7E Corsair II and F / A - 18 Hornet in over 100 combat and contingency missions off the coasts of Lebanon and Libya , and over the Balkans and Iraq . His combat highlights include scoring the first Navy MiG kill of Operation Desert Storm prior to dropping his bombs on an airfield in western Iraq on January 17 , 1991 , and leading the opening " Shock and Awe " strike of Operation Iraqi Freedom on March 21 , 2003 . Vice Admiral Fox ’ s previous command assignments include Commander , Naval Strike and Air Warfare Center ; Commander , Carrier Strike Group Ten ; Commander , Carrier Air Wing 2 ; Commander , Strike Fighter Wing , U . S . Pacific Fleet ( STKFITWINGPAC ) ; the first Commanding Officer of Strike Fighter Squadron 122 ( the Navy ’ s first F / A - 18E / F Super Hornet Fleet Replacement Squadron ) , and Commanding Officer of Strike Fighter Squadron 81 . Shore tours include duty as an A - 7E Instructor Pilot in Attack Squadron 174 ; a tour as the Light Attack / Strike Fighter Junior Officer Detailer in the Naval Military Personnel Command ; assignment as Aide and Flag Lieutenant for Commander , Naval Air Force , U . S . Atlantic Fleet ; Aide and Flag Lieutenant to the Assistant Chief of Naval Operations ( Air Warfare - OP - 05 ) ; joint duty as the Maritime Plans Officer at Supreme Headquarters , Allied Powers Europe ( SHAPE ) in Casteau , Belgium ; and service as the Joint Strike and Aviation Programs Liaison Officer in the Navy ' s Office of Legislative Affairs in Washington , D . C . Vice Admiral Fox is married to Priscilla ( née Wood ) . They have four children , William , Collin , Mason and Abigail . Awards and decorations . Vice Admiral Fox has logged over 4 , 700 flight hours and 1 , 320 arrested landings on 13 different aircraft carriers . His personal military awards include the Defense Distinguished Service Medal , Navy Distinguished Service Medal , Silver Star , Legion of Merit , Distinguished Flying Cross with Combat ‘ V ’ , Bronze Star , five individual Air Medal s with Combat ' V ' , six Strike Flight Air Medals , Order of Bahrain , First Class , as well as various other meritorious service , commendation and achievement medals .