Ronald A . Route Ronald A . Route ( born c . 1949 ) is a retired Vice Admiral and former Naval Inspector General of the United States Navy and a former President of the Naval War College . On July 16 , 2013 , Vice Admiral Route was named President of the Naval Postgraduate School . Naval career . A native of Denver , Colorado , Route graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1971 , and subsequently completed a series of command and leadership assignments both within the Navy and in the Joint Service arena . He commanded the guided - missile destroyer , the guided - missile cruiser , Cruiser - Destroyer Group Two , and the Carrier Battle Group . In addition to his afloat commands , he served at sea with Cruiser - Destroyer Group Two and Destroyer Squadron Four , and aboard the guided - missile cruiser , the frigate , the guided - missile cruiser , and the destroyer . Ashore , Route commanded the Navy Warfare Development Command ( NWDC ) . From 9 July 2003 to 12 August 2004 , he was the 50th officer to serve as President of the Naval War College since the colleges founding in 1884 . During his tour as president , he sharpened the colleges focus on mission and relevance ; initiated research , analysis , and wargaming to address key operational concerns of the U . S . Navy such as ballistic missile defense and antisubmarine warfare and established the Halsey Scholars , an advanced research program for selected students ; and facilitated discussions between retired Soviet Navy officers and their American counterparts on Cold War naval history . Route assumed his duties as Naval Inspector General in August 2004 after leaving the presidency of the Naval War College . His other flag assignments included two tours on the Chief of Naval Operations staff , first as Director , Politico - Military Affairs Division ( N52 ) and later as Director , Navy Programming Division ( N80 ) , where he developed and prioritized a multi - year spending plan for the Navy ' s $ 80 – $ 100 billion annual budget . Routes Pentagon assignments also included Executive Assistant to the Assistant Secretary of the Navy ( Manpower and Reserve Affairs ) for three assistant secretaries in two presidential administrations , Long - Range Planner and Surface Ship Readiness analyst in the Chief of Naval Operations ' s Program Resource Appraisal Division ( now N81 ) , and Naval Warfare Analyst in the Joint Analysis Directorate ( now part of J8 ) , within the Organization of the Joint Chiefs of Staff . Route retired from the Navy in January 2008 after more than 36 years on active duty . Education . Route holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Systems Engineering from the U . S . Naval Academy and a Master of Science degree in Operations Research from the Naval Postgraduate School . Selected for a Navy Federal Executive Fellowship in 1996 , he completed a year - long assignment as a military fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations in New York City and subsequently was invited to become a Council member in June 1998 . Awards and decorations . Routes personal decorations include the Distinguished Service Medal , the Legion of Merit ( six awards ) , the Defense Meritorious Service Medal , the Meritorious Service Medal ( four awards ) , the Navy Commendation Medal ( three awards ) , and the Navy Achievement Medal ( two awards ) . References . " This article includes public domain text produced by the United States Navy . "