Henry G . Chiles , Jr . Henry Goodman Chiles , Jr . ( born January 5 , 1938 ) is a retired United States Navy four star admiral who served as Commander in Chief , United States Strategic Command ( USCINCSTRAT ) , from 1994 to 1996 , the first naval officer to command all of the strategic nuclear forces of the United States . Education . Henry G . Chiles , Jr . entered from the United States Naval Academy as a midshipman in 1956 , graduating in 1960 with a Bachelor of Science degree . He studied at Keble College , Oxford University , receiving a Bachelor of Arts degree in Foreign Affairs in 1973 , and received a Masters of Arts degree in Foreign Affairs from Keble College , Oxford University , studying politics , philosophy and economics , in 1986 . Naval career . Chiles was commissioned an ensign on 8 June 1960 . His first tour of duty was on USS Borie ( DD - 704 ) from July , 1960 to September , 1961 . He attended the U . S . Naval Submarine School in Groton , Connecticut until March 1962 and then Naval Nuclear Power Training Unit in Schenectady , New York . He was promoted to lieutenant ( junior grade ) while at Groton . His first submarine duty was with from April 1963 to January 1966 . While on board " Triton " , he was promoted to lieutenant . Lt . Chiles ' next assignment was as an engineering officer with the Blue crew of the nuclear - powered ballistic missile submarine from January 1966 to February 1968 . He was on the staff of commander , Submarine Squadron 15 as the Material Officer until June 1970 , where he made lieutenant commander . He reported to the pre - commissioning unit and served as its executive officer until September 1973 , then reported for duty at the U . S . Naval Activities , United Kingdom . Upon his departure in September , 1975 , he was promoted to commander . Commander Chiles served at COMSUBPAC under instruction until December 1975 and then reported to in February 1976 . Following an under ice Arctic Ocean deployment , he assumed command of the " Gurnard " on 30 May 1976 . The submarine also conducted a refueling overhaul in record time and a Western Pacific deployment before Chiles departed on 15 October 1979 . From April 1980 until July 1983 , Chiles was special assistant to the director of the Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program , U . S . Department of Energy , conducting fleet liaison and directing the prospective commanding officer ' s course for Admiral Hyman G . Rickover and his relief , Admiral Kinnaird R . McKee . He was promoted to captain while at this assignment . Captain Chiles served as commander , Submarine Squadron Three until July , 1985 and then reported to Naval Training Center San Diego as the center commander . Chiles served as director , Strategic Submarine Division and Deputy Assistant Chief of Naval Operations for undersea warfare between July 1985 and September 1987 and was promoted to rear admiral ( lower half ) . Rear Admiral Chiles took command of Submarine Group Eight , and also served concurrently as NATO ' s Commander Allied Submarines Mediterranean , based in Naples , Italy until December 1990 . He received his second star during this assignment . Vice Admiral Chiles served as Commander Submarines U . S . Atlantic Fleet ( COMSUBLANT ) , as well as NATO ' s Commander Allied Submarines Atlantic , from December 1990 to September 1993 . On 24 September 1993 , Vice Admiral Chiles became the deputy commander - in - chief and chief of staff for the United States Strategic Command ( STRATCOM ) at Offutt Air Force Base . Promoted to Admiral on 14 February 1994 , Chiles took command of STRATCOM , the first U . S . flag officer to do so , a position that he held until his retirement on 21 February 1996 . The primary focus of Chiles ' tenure as USCINCSTRAT was adjusting the structure and mission for U . S . strategic nuclear forces in a post - Cold War environment . Awards and decorations . During his career , Admiral Chiles has received the Navy Distinguished Service Medal , Legion of Merit with four gold stars in lieu of subsequent awards ; the Meritorious Service Medal ; the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with one gold star in lieu of a second award ; the Navy Unit Commendation with one bronze star ; a Meritorious Unit Commendation awarded to Submarine Squadron 15 ; a Navy E Ribbon with two “ Es ’ ; a Navy Expeditionary Medal ; the National Defense Service Medal ; a Sea Service Deployment Ribbon ; and an Overseas Service Ribbon . He is also a recipient of the Distinguished Graduate Award ( DGA ) of the Naval Academy Alumni Association in 2008 Retirement . Admiral Chiles serves as an adjunct fellow with the Center for Strategic and International Studies ( CSIS ) . He is a member of the board of advisors of the National Military Family Association ( NMFA ) . He is also a member of the Distinguished Advisory Board to the Dolphin Scholarship Foundation . Admiral Chiles chaired the National Nuclear Security Administration Advisory Committee , and he is a Distinguished Professor of Leadership at the U . S . Naval Academy . Personal . Admiral Chiles has three sons : John , Peter , and Henry . His wife , the former Katherine ( Katy ) L . Pearson , died in October 2006 .