Bruce W . Clingan Bruce Waid Clingan ( born c . 1955 ) is an admiral serving in the United States Navy who currently serves as Commander of U . S . Naval Forces Europe , U . S . Naval Forces , Africa and Allied Joint Force Command Naples . He previously served as Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Operations , Plans and Strategy and Commander , United States Sixth Fleet , as well as Commander , Joint Command Lisbon from August 2008 to November 2009 . He assumed his current assignment in February 24 , 2012 . Biography . Born in Lafayette , Indiana , he was raised in Bellevue , Washington . He is a graduate of the University of Washington and received a Master of Science degree from the University of Southern California . Being a member of the NROTC , he was commissioned to the U . S . Navy in June 1977 . Designated a naval aviator in May 1979 , Clingan flew F - 14 Tomcat s with Fighter Squadron 124 , Fighter Squadron 114 , and Fighter Squadron 211 , making deployments aboard USS America ( CV - 66 ) , USS Enterprise ( CVN - 65 ) , USS Kitty Hawk ( CV - 63 ) , and USS Nimitz ( CVN - 68 ) . He commanded Fighter Squadron 11 , and after completing the nuclear power program , served as executive officer of USS Abraham Lincoln ( CVN - 72 ) . Subsequently , he commanded the 6th Fleet flagship USS La Salle ( AGF - 3 ) and USS Carl Vinson ( CVN - 70 ) . Ashore , Clingan served as an F - 14 flight instructor at Fighter Squadron 124 , where he helped Naval Air Systems Command and Grumman Aerospace Corporation develop the F - 14D Super Tomcat as a member of the Aircrew Systems Advisory Panel . Clingan ’ s first Joint assignment was in Europe , as a member of the Operations and Readiness Branch , Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe , where he helped negotiate various North Atlantic Treaty Organization ( NATO ) / Spanish Coordination Agreements . After selection to flag rank , Clingan joined United States Central Command , serving as deputy director of Operations from April 2002 to May 2004 during Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom . Clingan assumed command of Carrier Strike Group 3 / Carl Vinson Strike Group in June 2004 and served as CTF - 50 / 152 during an extended deployment in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2005 . Subsequently he joined the staff of the chief of Naval Operations in September 2005 as deputy director , Air Warfare Division ( N78B ) , followed by assignments as director , Air Warfare Division ( N88 ) and director , Warfare Integration / Senior National Representative ( N8F ) . Following his tour on chief of Naval Operations staff , he assumed command of Joint Command Lisbon ; commander , U . S . 6th Fleet ; commander , Allied Joint Command Lisbon ; commander , Striking and Support Forces NATO ; deputy commander , U . S . Naval Forces Europe ; deputy commander , U . S . Naval Forces Africa ; and Joint Forces Maritime Component Commander , Europe . Clingan began his current ( as of 2012 ) tour of duty in December 2009 as deputy chief of Naval Operations for Operations , Plans and Strategy ( N3 / N5 ) . He assumed his current position February 24 , 2012 . Awards and decorations . His decorations include two Defense Superior Service Medal s , four Legion of Merit Awards , the Bronze Star Medal , the Defense Meritorious Service Medal , the Meritorious Service Medal and two Navy Achievement Medal s .