Leon A . Edney Leon Albert " Bud " Edney ( born March 1 , 1935 ) is a retired United States Navy officer . A native of Dedham , Massachusetts , he retired from the Navy as an admiral and served as vice chief of naval operations for the United States Navy . Naval career . Designated a naval aviator in 1958 , Admiral Edney ' s first operational flying tours were with Air Antisubmarine Squadrons 27 and 24 . Following his graduate studies at Harvard , he served a two - year tour in Washington , D . C . , as a special assistant to the deputy chief of naval operations for research and development . In 1965 , Edney transitioned to light attack jet aircraft and was assigned to Attack Squadron 164 . In 1970 , he was assigned to the staff of the chief of naval operations as the Western Hemisphere plans officer in the Political - Military Plans Division . He was selected as a White House Fellow in 1970 and served as a special assistant to the secretary of transportation . In 1971 , Edney was named executive officer of Attack Squadron 27 and assumed command of the squadron the following year . Edney assumed command of Carrier Air Wing Two embarked in the aircraft carrier USS " Ranger " ( CV - 61 ) in 1974 . He then became the commanding officer of the fleet oiler USS " Ponchatoula " ( AO - 148 ) two years later . He then served as chief of staff for commander , Cruiser Destroyer Group FIVE before assuming command of the aircraft carrier USS " Constellation " ( CV - 64 ) in January 1980 . Under his command , " Constellation " participated in RIMPAC ' 80 exercise with navies from the Pacific basin before deploying to the Western Pacific in April 1980 . During this deployment , " Constellation " remained on station in the Indian Ocean for 110 straight days in support of U . S . foreign policy . In June 1981 , Edney was designated a commodore admiral and became the sixty - ninth Commandant of Midshipmen at the US Naval Academy . In March 1984 , he became commander , Carrier Group ONE and made another deployment to the Western Pacific embarked in " Constellation " the following year . Following his assignment as commander , Carrier Group ONE , Edney served as the assistant deputy chief of naval operations for air warfare ; director , Aviation Plans and Requirements Division ; and later director , Office of Program Appraisal for the secretary of the navy . In 1987 , he became the chief of naval personnel , and the deputy chief of naval operations for manpower , personnel , and training . He assumed his present rank and the duties of vice chief of naval operations in August 1988 , and as such was directly responsible to the chief of naval operations for the command of the Navy ' s operating forces and the administration of its shore establishment . In May 1990 , Edney assumed duties as NATO ' s supreme allied commander , Atlantic , and commander in chief , U . S . Atlantic Command . He retired on 1 August 1992 . Edney ' s personal awards and decorations include the Defense Distinguished Service Medal , the Navy Distinguished Service Medal with gold star , the Legion of Merit with two gold stars , Distinguished Flying Cross with four gold stars , Bronze Star Medal , Meritorious Service Medal with gold star , Air Medal with gold numeral 8 and bronze numeral 30 Navy Commendation Medal with Combat V , and the Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with gold star , as well as various campaign and unit awards . During his career he has accumulated more than 5 , 600 flight hours , flown 340 combat sorties , and made more than 1 , 000 carrier landings . Edney is married to the former Margon Beck of Hastings , Nebraska . They have two daughters , Merrie and Jaimie . Civilian activities . Edney retired in August 1992 and was appointed as an éminence grise for the Center for Naval Analyses and the National Defense University . In April 1997 Charles R . Larson selected Edney to fill the post of Distinguished Professor of Leadership at the United States Naval Academy . In this position , Edney was charged with " teaching core leadership and ethics courses and promoting moral development and leadership education " to academy students . In addition to his duties as a Capstone Senior Fellow , Edney serves as a senior fellow at the Center for Naval Analyses , and is director of the Armed Forces Benefit Services , Inc . and the Retired Officers Association . He has also in recent years been awarded government contracts to perform education services for the National Defense University . Edney serves on the board of advisors for the Jewish Institute for National Security Affairs . He is active in local politics in Coronado Island , California . Awards . Edney has earned the following combat awards :