Robert T . Moeller Robert T . Moeller , was a United States Navy vice admiral who last served in active duty as the first Deputy to the Commander for Military Operations , U . S . Africa Command until his departure in April 2010 . USAFRICOM was formally stood up in October 2007 , as a subunified command initially of EUCOM , under the command of General William E . Ward , who was first commander of AFRICOM . Vice Adm . Moeller , a New Jersey native and son of a World War II Navy veteran , graduated from the University of Notre Dame in 1974 receiving his commission from the Notre Dame NROTC program . Trained as a Surface Warfare Officer , Vice Adm . Moeller has served in a variety of sea and shore assignments , including joint duty . At sea , his assignments included USS Albany ( CG 10 ) , flagship for Commander , 2nd and 6th Fleets , where he served as Talos Fire Control Officer and Boilers Officer ; USS Julius A . Furer ( FFG 6 ) ; Combat Systems and Material Officer on the staff of Commander , Destroyer Squadron 36 ; as precommissioning Engineer Officer ; , flagship for Commander , 6th Fleet , as both Executive Officer and later Commanding Officer ; and as Commanding Officer . His CO tour in Belknap included initial Partnership for Peace operations , North Atlantic Treaty Organization Operation Provide Promise and Operation Deny Flight , and the first Navy visits to Odessa , Ukraine and Novorossiysk , Russia . During his command of Port Royal , the ship received her third and fourth consecutive Battle E awards , and installed and employed Linebacker , the Navy ' s first TBMD capability . Ashore , Admiral Moeller served in the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations ( OPNAV ) in the Systems Analysis Division ( OP 96 ) as Surface ASW and IUSS analyst ; the Program Resource Appraisal Division ( OP 91 ) as Net Assessment analyst ; SECNAV Office of Program Appraisal ( OPA ) as Surface Warfare and C4I analyst ; OSD ' s Office of Director Operational Test and Evaluation ( DOT & E ) as Maritime Warfare analyst ; and Commanding Officer , Surface Warfare Officer s School . In 1989 , Vice Adm . Moeller was selected as the Navy Federal Executive Fellow at the Brookings Institution . He has earned a master ' s degree in National Security Studies from the Edmund A . Walsh School of Foreign Service , Georgetown University . Vice Adm . Moeller served as Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations , Plans , Policy and Training ( N3N5N7 ) and as Director for Operations ( J3 ) , Joint Task Force ( JTF ) - 519 for the Commander , U . S . Pacific Fleet from May 2001 through August 2003 and as Commander , Cruiser Destroyer Group 1 / Commander , " Ronald Reagan " Strike Group from August 2003 through August 2004 . Vice Adm . Moeller served as the Director , Strategy , Plans and Policy ( J5 ) and as Special Assistant to the Commander , U . S . Central Command from August 2004 through August 2007 . Vice Adm . Moeller ' s awards include the Defense Superior Service Medal , the Legion of Merit with two Gold Stars , the Defense Meritorious Service Medal , the Meritorious Service Medal with two Gold Stars , and the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with a Gold Star . Vice Adm . Moeller died on 28 March 2011 from Lou Gehrig ' s disease and will be buried at Arlington National Cemetery .