Joseph D . Kernan Joseph D . " Joe " Kernan ( born February 4 , 1955 ) is a United States Navy vice admiral . He serves as the Military Deputy Commander of U . S . Southern Command ( USSOUTHCOM ) , Miami , Florida . He assumed his current assignment on May 23 , 2011 . He is second - in - command of one of nine unified commands under the Department of Defense . SOUTHCOM , which conducts military operations and promotes security cooperation throughout the area of Latin America and the Caribbean . Admiral Kernan formerly served as the Senior Military Assistant to the Secretary of Defense from August 2009 to May 2011 . Prior to that , he previously served as Commander , U . S . Fourth Fleet and U . S . Naval Forces Southern Command from July 1 , 2008 to June 12 , 2009 and as Commander , Naval Special Warfare Command from June 2007 to June 30 , 2008 . He assumed his current assignment in May 23 , 2011 . Background . Kernan , the son of a career Air Force pilot and Air Force nurse , was born at Travis Air Force Base , California on February 4 , 1955 . He graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1977 , attended Surface Warfare Officer School , and reported to USS Horne ( CG - 30 ) based in San Diego , California . During this tour , he served as an Engineering Officer , completed deployments to the Western Pacific and Middle East regions and was designated a Surface Warfare Officer . Upon completion of his initial tour with the Surface Warfare community , Kernan applied for transfer to and training in the Naval Special Warfare community for qualification as a SEAL . Kernan reported to Naval Amphibious Base Coronado , California and subsequently completed Basic Underwater Demolition / SEAL ( BUD / S ) training with Class 117 in 1981 . Following SEAL Qualification Training ( SQT ) , he was designated as a Naval Special Warfare Officer , entitled to wear the SEAL insignia . He commanded Platoons at Underwater Demolition Team 12 , SEAL Delivery Vehicle Team 1 , and SEAL Team 5 . Additionally while assigned to SEAL Team 5 , he served as Detachment Officer - in - Charge of four deployed SEAL platoons and Deputy Commander , Naval Special Warfare Task Force , Middle East Force . He served his executive officer tour at Naval Special Warfare Unit 1 in Naval Station Subic Bay , Republic of the Philippines . Kernan has served as the Naval Special Warfare Officer Detailer and Community Manager , Deputy / Chief Staff Officer , Naval Special Warfare Development Group , Chief of Staff and Deputy , Naval Special Warfare Command and Director , Naval Special Warfare Branch on the Navy Staff . He commanded SEAL Team 2 and the Naval Special Warfare Development Group . His joint assignments include Deputy Director and Director of Operations , Joint Special Operations Command , Fort Bragg , North Carolina , and Director of Operations , Center for Special Operations , United States Special Operations Command , MacDill AFB , Tampa , Florida . He assumed duties as Commander , Naval Special Warfare Command in June 2007 . On April 24 , 2008 , Admiral Gary Roughead , the Chief of Naval Operations , announced that the United States Fourth Fleet would be re - established , effective July 1 , with responsibility for U . S . Navy ships , aircraft and submarines operating in the Caribbean Sea , as well as throughout Central and South America , with Admiral Kernan as the fleet commander , as well as Commander , U . S . Naval Forces Southern Command , the naval component of the United States Southern Command . Kernan became the first Navy SEAL to serve as a numbered fleet commander . On May 19 , 2009 , Defense Secretary Robert Gates announced that the President has selected Kernan for appointment to the rank of vice admiral and assignment as Senior Military Assistant to the Secretary of Defense . He assumed the assignment in June 2009 . Notes . 3 . http : / / www . southcom . mil / aboutus / Pages / Vice - Admiral - Joseph - D . - Kernan . aspx