James G . Stavridis James George Stavridis , PhD ( born 15 February 1955 ) is a retired United States Navy admiral who served as the 15th Commander , U . S . European Command ( USEUCOM ) and NATO ' s 16th Supreme Allied Commander Europe ( SACEUR ) . Stavridis is the first Navy officer to have held these positions . Previously , he served as Commander , U . S . Southern Command from 19 October 2006 , to 25 June 2009 . He served as COMEUCOM and SACEUR from 30 June 2009 ( USEUCOM ) and 2 July 2009 ( SACEUR ) respectively , to 10 May 2013 and 13 May 2013 , respectively . On 6 May 2013 , ADM Stavridis was named as the 12th Dean of the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University , a position he took up on July 1 , 2013 . In addition , he became Chairman of the Board of the U . S . Naval Institute in July 2013 . Personal history . Stavridis was born in West Palm Beach , Florida , the son of Shirley ( née Schaffer ) and P . George Stavridis . He is married to Laura Hall , author of " Navy Spouses Guide " . His paternal grandparents were ethnic Greeks born and raised in what is now Turkey , who emigrated to the United States . His 2008 book , " Destroyer Captain : Lessons of a First Command " , goes into more detail about his Greek refugee origins . " In the early 1920 ' s , " he wrote , " my grandfather , a short , stocky Greek schoolteacher named Dimitrios Stavridis , was expelled from Turkey as part of ' ethnic cleansing ' ( read pogrom ) directed against Greeks living in the remains of the Ottoman Empire . He barely escaped with his life in a small boat crossing the Aegean Sea to Athens and thence to Ellis Island . His brother was not so lucky and was killed by the Turks as part of the violence directed at the Greek minority . " A NATO exercise off the coast of modern Turkey was the " most amazing historical irony [ he ] could imagine , " and prompted Stavridis to write of his grandfather : " His grandson , who speaks barely a few words of Greek , returns in command of a billion - dollar destroyer to the very city - Smyrna , now called İzmir - from which he sailed in a refugee craft all those years ago . " Career . Stavridis is a 1976 distinguished graduate of the U . S . Naval Academy and a native of South Florida , USA . He is a career surface warfare officer and served at sea in carriers , cruisers , and destroyers . After serving with distinction as Operations Officer on the newly commissioned , Stavridis commanded destroyer from 1993 to 1995 , completing deployments to Haiti , Bosnia , and the Persian Gulf . " Barry " won the Battenberg Cup as the top ship in the Atlantic Fleet under his command . In 1998 , he commanded Destroyer Squadron 21 and deployed to the Persian Gulf in 1998 , winning the Navy League ’ s John Paul Jones Award for Inspirational Leadership . From 2002 to 2004 , Stavridis commanded Enterprise Carrier Strike Group , conducting combat operations in the Persian Gulf in support of both the successful Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom . Afterwards , Vice Admiral Stavridis served as senior military assistant to the United States Secretary of Defense . On October 19 , 2006 , he became the first navy commander of U . S . Southern Command in Miami , Florida . In July , 2009 , he became Supreme Allied Commander Europe ( SACEUR ) . Ashore , he served as a strategic and long range planner on the staffs of the United States Chief of Naval Operations and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the United States . At the start of the " Global War on Terror " , he was selected as the director of the Navy Operations Group , Deep Blue , USA . He has also served as the executive assistant to the Secretary of the Navy and the senior military assistant to the United States Secretary of Defense . Stavridis earned a PhD and Master of Arts in Law and Diplomacy from The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University in International Relations in 1984 , where he won the Gullion Prize as outstanding student . He has been appointed Dean of The Fletcher School , to begin his term July 1 , 2013 . He is also a 1992 distinguished graduate of the United States National War College . In 2003 , He was honored with the Naval War College Distinguished Graduate Leadership Award . He frequently publishes his thoughts , opinions and analyses in myriad publications , including the Western Hemisphere policy publication " Americas Quarterly " and the United States Naval Institute ' s blog . Surface Warfare Officer badge Awards and decorations . Business Executives for National Security 2012 Eisenhower Award Intrepid Sea , Air & Space Museum 2011 Intrepid Freedom Award AFCEA 2011 David Sarnoff Award The Order of St . Andrew the Apostle 2011 Athenagoras Human Rights Award Navy League of the United States 2011 Alfred Theyer Mahan Award for Literary Achievement JINSA 2011 Henry M . Jackson Distinguished Service Award Atlantic Council 2011 Distinguished Military Leadership Award Chian Federation 33rd Annual Homeric Award Israeli Distinguished Ally Award , May 2013 Published works . Selected books Selected articles , reviews and commentary “ Semi - Sumergibles : Una Amenaza Emergente en las Américas . ” Air & Space Power Journal en Español , Volumen XX , No . 2 , pp . 3 – 5 , Segundo Trimestre 2008 “ NATO : A Bridge Across Time , ” Freedom ’ s Challenge – Marking the 20th Anniversary of the Fall of the Berlin Wall , December 2009 “ The Americas : We ’ re All in This Together , ” Oct 2007 Vol . 1 , Issue 2 “ Let Us Dare , ” Australian Defence Force Journal : Journal of the Australian Profession of Arms , Issue No . 181 , 2010 , pp . 72 – 77 " NATO ' s Success in Libya : The Right Way to Run an Intervention , " pp . 2 – 7 , No . 2 , Vol 91 , March / April 2012 ( with Ambassador Ivo H . Daalder ) " NATO Success in Lybia , " OPED October 31 , 2011 ( with Ambassador Ivo H . Daalder ) " Afghan Realities , " Op - Ed . 25 – 26 September 2010 , p . 9 " Sailing the Cyber Sea , " pp . 61 – 67 , Issue 65 , 2nd quarter 2012 < br > " An Intelligent Theater , " pp . 104 – 108 , Issue 56 , 1st quarter 2010 < br > “ Whatever Happened to the “ War on Drugs ” ? pp . 109 – 113 , Issue 51 , 4th Quarter 2008 < br > “ Strategic Communication and National Security , ” pp . 4 – 7 , Issue 46 , 3rd Quarter 2007 < br > “ The Second Revolution , ” Spring 2003 ( Reprinted as one of top articles of previous decades ) < br > “ The Second Revolution , ” Summer 1997 ( First Prize , RMA Essay Contest ) Ėditorial . “ Un long chemin , ” pp . 1 – 2 , Nouvelle Serie Nº 51 , Inter - session 2010 . “ Strengthening the Bridge : Building Partnership Capacity , ” pp . 2 – 6 , January – February 2010 < br > “ Partnership for the Americas : The Human Rights Initiative , ” pp . 2 – 8 , May – June 2007 < br > “ Roosevelt , Churchill , and the Naval Wars , ” Book Review , pp . 92 , July 1986 < br > “ U Boats Wars , ” Book Review , pp . 87 – 88 , July 1985 < br > “ Submarine Boats : The Beginnings of Underwater Warfare , ” Book Review , pp . 92 – 93 , August 1984 < br > “ The Bowfin : The Story of One of America ’ s Fabled Fleet Submarines in the World War II , ” Book Review , pp . 79 – 80 , February 1984 “ Sea of Gray : The Around the World Cruise of the Confederate Raider Shenandoah , ” Book Review , June 2006 < br > “ A Dishonorable Few , ” Book Review , pp . 70 , December 2005 < br > “ Cruise of the Sea Eagle , ” Book Review , pp . 68 – 69 , October 2005 < br > “ Patrick O ’ Brian : A Life Revealed , ” Book Review , pp . 67 , October 2000 < br > “ Damn the Torpedoes , ” Book Review , pp . 50 , October 1999 “ United Nations of the Sea Treaty : Time for a Review ? ” pp . 78 – 88 , Spring 1992 with Captain George Galdorisi , USN ( Ret . ) “ Taming the Outlaw Sea , ” Autumn 2010 , Volume 63 , Number 4 , pp . 72 – 83 < br > “ Perspectivas sobre estrategia marítima , ” Introducción : Una Estrategia Marítima en las Américas , Naval War College Press , pp . vii - xi , Winter 2009 < br > “ The Heart of an Officer , ” Naval War College Review , Volume 62 , pp . 26 – 41 , Spring 2009 < br > “ Sailing to a New Port , ” pp . 7 – 13 , Summer 2007 , Volume 60 , Number 3 < br > “ El Dorado Canyon , ” Book Review , pp . 136 – 138 , Winter 2004 < br > “ From Annapolis to Scapa Flow , ” Book Review , pp . 180 – 181 , Autumn 2003 < br > “ Soldiers and Civilians , ” Book Review , pp . 175 – 176 , Summer 2002 < br > “ A World Explored , ” Review Essay , pp . 95 – 97 , Spring 2002 < br > “ The Tale of the Red Knight , ” pp . 141 – 147 , Autumn 2001 < br > “ Seapower : Theory and Practice , ” Book Review , pp . 134 – 136 , Winter 1997 < br > “ The Nightingale ’ s Song , ” Book Review , pp . 136 – 137 , Spring 1996 < br > “ The Rise and Fall of British Naval Mastery , ” Book Review , pp . 113 , September – October 1985 < br > “ Conway ’ s All the World ’ s Fighting Ships , ” Book Review , pp . 122 – 123 , May – June 1985 < br > “ Vietnam : A History , ” Book Review , pp . 138 – 139 , January – February 1985 < br > “ The Future of Conflict in the 1980s , ” Book Review , pp . 117 – 118 , July – August 1984 < br > “ Soviet Policy and Practice toward Third World Conflicts , ” Book Review , pp . 104 – 105 , May – June 1984 < br > “ The American Style of Foreign Policy , ” Book Review , ” pp . 121 - 123 , November – December 1983 < br > “ Marine Technology Transfer and the Law of the Sea , ” pp . 38 – 50 , July – August 1983 “ NATO Taking a Fix – Charting a Course , ” Vol . 154 , No . 6 , pp . 44 – 47 , December 2009 “ Time , ” p . 38 , An Ocean Away , June 2010 < br > “ Semi - submersibles : An Emerging Threat in the Americas , ” p . 36 , An Ocean Away , May 2008 < br > “ Humanitarian Operations : Evolving Missions and New Approaches , ” pp . 25 – 27 , January – February 2008 “ The Long Road , ” Volume 9 Number 1 , pp . 23 – 29 , July 2010 " Rejoinder to “ Punch Them in the Nose … and Then Leave ” by CDR John Kuehn , " comment and discussion , pp . 8 , September 2012 " < br > " Another View , " pp . 7 , June 2011 < br > " The Death of NATO : A Rebuttal , " pp . 6 , January 2011 < br > “ Teaching the Ropes , ” pp . 30 – 34 , May 2010 < br > " Sailing Across the Bridge , " pp . 16 – 20 , 1 October 2009 < br > " One Minute to Midnight , " book review , pp . 27 – 73 , March 2009 , < br > “ Read , Think , Write , and Publish , ” pp . 16 – 19 , August 2008 < br > “ The Far Reaches , ” pp . 81 – 82 , September 2007 < br > “ Sailing in Southern Waters : A New Wind , ” pp . 16 – 21 , 1 May 2007 < br > “ Six Frigates , ” Book Review , pp . 83 – 84 , December 2006 < br > “ Sea of Thunder , ” Book Review , pp . 81 – 82 , November 2006 < br > “ Deconstructing War , ” pp . 42 – 45 , December 2005 < br > “ From Sword to Shield , ” pp . 48 – 51 , August 2004 < br > “ Adapting Aviation Tactical Training for the Surface Warfare Community , ” pp . 36 – 37 , January 2003 < br > “ The Tragedy of Great Power Politics , ” Book Review , pp . 91 – 92 , July 2002 < br > “ Making Room for Risk : Managing Disruptive Techniques , ” September 2001 < br > “ A Soldier ’ s Duty , ” Book Review , pp . 82 – 83 , August 2001 < br > “ Requiem for a Sailor ’ s Writer , ” pp . 130 – 131 , May 2000 < br > “ The Got Game , ” pp . 51 – 54 , June 1999 < br > “ Beyond the Law of the Sea , ” Book Review , pp . 116 – 117 , March 1999 < br > “ A Perfect Form One , ” pp . 45 – 47 , October 1995 ( USNI Prize Winner ) < br > “ Handling the Arleigh Burkes , ” pp . 66 – 69 , October 1994 < br > “ Beyond Joint : The Interagency Action , ” pp . 94 – 99 , May 1993 “ To Begin Again , ” pp . 35 – 39 , July 1993 < br > “ A Measure of Success , ” pp . 80 – 81 , February 1992 < br > “ Aegis in the Third World , ” pp . 61 – 64 , September 1991 < br > “ New Era Tactic , ” pp . 76 – 78 , July 1991 < br > “ Retreat from Doomsday , ” Book Review , pp . 105 – 106 , July 1989 < br > “ Antisubmarine Warfare Tactics , ” pp . 23 – 25 , April 1989 < br > “ Surface Navy Performance , ” pp . 28 – 29 , February 1988 < br > “ Creating ASW Killing Zones , ” pp . 38 – 42 , October 1987 < br > “ An Alliance for the Pacific , ” pp . 77 – 80 , July 1987 < br > “ Supercarrier , ” Book Review , pp . 105 – 106 , February 1987 < br > “ Handling a Ticonderoga , ” pp . 107 – 110 , January 1987 < br > “ The Global Maritime Coalition , ” pp . 58 – 64 , April 1985 < br > “ Resources Wars , ” pp . 72 – 77 , January 1985 ( USNI Prize Winner ) < br > “ Naval Strategy and National Ocean Policy , ” pp . 42 – 47 , July 1984 < br > “ Politics Awareness Training in the Navy , ” pp . 23 – 24 , March 1984 < br > “ War , Peace , and Leadership , ” pp . 78 – 80 , August 1983 ( USNI Prize Winner ) < br > “ Closing the Gaps in Naval Leadership , ” pp . 76 – 78 , July 1982 ( USNI Prize Winner ) < br > “ Carrier Commander / On Leading Snipes , ” pp . 74 – 76 , January 1981 < br > “ Handling a Spruance Class Destroyer , ” pp . 125 – 126 , October 1979 “ Region Has Strong Partners , ” OPED , June 16 , 2009 < br > “ Productive Partnerships Make Region Stronger , ” OPED , Dec 2 , 2008 < br > “ What I ’ ve Learned , ” OPED , May 24 , 2008 < br > “ Ready to help Caribbean neighbors , ” OPED with Thomas Shannon , April 3 , 2008 < br > “ Why We Love Miami , ” OPED , September 26 , 2007 < br > “ Build a True Partnership , ” OPED , March 8 , 2007 " Combat and Compassion , " with Dr . Reuben Brigety , pp . 50 – 60 , Spring , 2012 Washington Post " The Dark Side of Globalization , " May 2 , 2013 , OPED page Foreign Policy " The New Triad : Time to Found a Cyber Force , " on - line , 21 June 2013 On Patrol " NATO 3 . 0 and an Evolving EUCOM , " Summer 2013 , pp . 57 – 59